Afcon 2023: Uganda’s chances of qualifying for the finals in Ivory Coast

Uganda needed a last-minute goal to beat Tanzania one nil, away in Dar Es Salaam to revive its hopes of playing in next year’s African Nations Cup finals.

 Rogers Mato’s 91st minute winner in Dar es Salaam ensured Uganda got a second chance to try and fight for a place in the finals of the continent’s football showpiece to be played in West African country, Ivory Coast, between January 13 and February 11 2024.

The slim win ensured Uganda are joint second in group F on four points, the same number with fellow East African country Tanzania but eight points below leaders Algeria on 12.

The North African country has already qualified for finals with two games to spare.

Uganda’s chances

Uganda will now fight for the remaining slot in the group with Tanzania, with two games to play for each in the qualifiers.

Meanwhile for Uganda to qualify, they may need to beat Algeria is their next game.

Uganda will host Algeria in the next qualifying game but lost the first encounter in Algiers in the early stages of the qualifiers.

Uganda will also pray for Niger to beat Tanzania in their next game to be played in Dar Es Salaam .

Tanzania drew 1-1 with Niger in their first encounter in Niamey in June 2022.

Meanwhile, Uganda also needs to pray for Algeria to beat Tanzania to be played in Algiers.

Tanzania lost the first leg 2nil in a game played in Dar Es Salaam last year.

The calculation means that Uganda may need to get maximum points out of the remaining two games in the group but also pray for Tanzania to drop points in the remaining two games.

This seems to be a tall order for the Cranes in this complicated scenario.

Group F table              

                 P    W  D   L   GD   Pts

Algeria     4     4     0    0     7     12

Tanzania 4     1     1     2     -2     4

Uganda    4     1     1     1     -2     4

Niger        4     0    2     2     -2    2