By Fred Mukwaya
UGANDA, Kampala – Uganda Cranes have kick started their TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 campaign on a losing note.
The home side lost 3-0 to Algeria in a Group C match played at the Nelson Mandela Stadium on Monday night.
Algeria, the 2023 finalists started the match with lots of dominance and testing Ugandan galkeeper Joel Mutakubwa early in the first 12 minutes.
The Dessert Fennecs finally took the lead through Ayoub Ghezala after 36 minutes.
Jude Ssemugabi and Rogers Ochaki Torach later had shots at goal, but the Algerian goalkeeper Zakaria Bouhalfaya was up to the task.
In the second half Uganda introduced Abdu Karim Watambala for Ssemugabi and the home team started to attack in numbers. But the Algerian team defended well.
After 76 minutes Algeria scored the second goal through Abderrahmane Meziane off a well taken corner kick. Three minutes later Sofiane Bagazid rounded off Ugandan’s goalkeeper and slotted in the third goal for Algeria.
Uganda tried long shots through Watambala, but they missed the target. “We did not play well and gave a lot of spaces to the opponents and they punished us. We need to improve,” Uganda’s coach Byekwaso said after the match.
President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Dr. Patrice Motsepe, and the First Lady and Ugandan Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni garced the match.
In an earlier Group C match Guinea defeated Niger 1-0. Algeria now lead Group C, while Guinea are second on the log.
