The Cranes of Uganda enter their last group match at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations buoyed by the momentum of a 1-1 draw with their Eastern neighbours, Tanzania, Sports247 reports.
The Ugandans came close to picking maximum points in that encounter, but they were denied that piece of history when their ‘golden boy,’ Allan Okello lost a penalty kick just four minutes to the final whistle.
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While many football fans in the Anglophone nation are still in lamentation over what could have been, The Cranes’ Nigerian-born striker, Uche Ikpeazu believes the pain of that miss will spur them to shock the Super Eagles.
Dramatically, it was Ikpeazu who got off the bench to nod home a timely equaliser that put them back into the game and his run at goal was part of the pressure that brought about the penalty for his side.
He is now leading the charge for an unlikely win at Complexe Sportif de Fès in Morocco, which would be a repeat of their biggest day in football history when they beat Nigeria in the semifinals of AFCON 1978 in Ghana.
“It’s football. Everyone misses penalties sometimes. Even the best players miss. We need to support him and move forward,” said Ikpeazu.
As lofty expectations soar to a highpoint in the East African country, media gurus and analysts have joined the frenzy, as several previews of Tuesday’s game suggested another shock victory for The Cranes over the Super Eagles.
Denis Bbosa of Monitor newspaper in Kampala pointed out, “Uganda may still be staring at possible elimination, but the midfield overhaul against Tanzania delivered something crucial: stability.
“After being overrun by Tunisia, Paul Put’s decision to reconfigure the engine room injected energy, structure and clearer intent.
“The result was not victory, but it was progress — and in tournament football, momentum often begins with belief rediscovered in the middle of the pitch.”
