As it happened: AFCON - Uganda 1 Mali 1

Jan 25, 2017

Farouk Miya scores Uganda's first goal at the Nations Cup since 1978 as The Cranes bow out with a draw against Mali.

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS: GROUP D

  • FULL-TIME: Uganda 1 Mali 1
  • Farouk Miya gives Uganda the lead, Bissouma equalizes
  • Uganda and Mali out of competition
  • Egypt and Ghana progress


Live reporting by Joseph Kizza (Twitter: @joekizza)

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11.57pm:   GOOD NIGHT

Uganda 1 Mali 1

I am typing the conclusion of this commentary by saying: Have a good night!

Read the match report HERE.

 

 

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   FULL-TIME: Uganda 1  Mali 1

Uganda 1 Mali 1

Uganda Cranes exit this edition of the Africa Cup of Nations with a draw plus a goal, thanks to Farouk Miya.

After identical defeats (1-0) to Ghana and Egypt in their first two group games, Micho's lads needed some form of redemption.

They nearly take the entire loot of three points . . .

. . .  but Yves Bissouma found the equalizer.

But needing a win to stand a chance of progressing, that levelr did not help Mali's cause much as Egypt beat Ghana 1-0 in the other game of the group to all but snuff out The Eagles' chances of making it to the knock-out stage.

That said, from Group D, Uganda and Mali are out as Egypt (top) and Ghana advance.

 

 

80 min:   A winner . . . anyone?

Uganda 1 Mali 1

So this game is back to level times as regards the scoreline. The Malians seem to be searching long and hard for that all-important winning goal.

They will have to drop those balls in for Coulibaly if they are to find one, but they opt to try their luck from miles out. That won't help their cause much, I reckon. Those balls are only good for rugby conversions. Too high!

 Can Micho will his men on for the winner?

 

Or will it be Alain Giresse's side to see this one out?

10 minutes left on the clock . . .

 

74 min:   GOAL! - Mali

Uganda 1 Mali 1

What class from Yves Bissouma!

Free-kick. The French side Lille attacker takes a few steps back from the ball yards out, trots forward and tucks the ball into the back of the net with Cranes goalkeeper Robert Ondogkara motionless. Stone-cold. Rooted to the ground.

What a screamer!... and what a way to come back in the game!

 

 

70 min:   GOAL! - Uganda

Uganda 1 Mali 0

Farouk Miya scores Uganda's first goal at the Africa Cup of Nations in 39 years! And the Belgium-based striker leads his teammates in a celebration in the form of a dance.

That goal will be remembered for a very long time.

That's what Miya does best: scoring those all-important goals for Uganda. In fact, it's his goal that sent Uganda to a first Nations Cup appearance in nearly 40 years. What a lad!

 

 

68 min:   DISALLOWED GOAL - Uganda

Uganda 0 Mali 0

Tonny Mawejje, a few minutes after coming on, collects an aerial pass from the left flank. He sees keeper Oumar Sissoko off his line and decides to go for it. He does, as his effort floats into the back of the net.

Goal! the Iceland-based midfielder is already off celebrating, but no, it's no good.

The flag was already up. Two of his teammates were offside. The ball bounces off Isinde's head on its net-bound flight. It is the second time in this campaign that The Cranes have had a goal disallowed because of offside.

Against Egypt, Joseph Ochaya hit home what would have been the opening goal, only to be ruled offside.

 

 

65 min:   OUCH! - Aucho limps off

Uganda 0 Mali 0

'Man down, man down, over!'

It's Uganda's Khalid Aucho. He is down, and soon on rush the Cranes medical team who, after brief assessment, help him off the pitch for medical attention. It does not look serious, so he should be back trotting onto the pitch.

 

 

59 min:   SUBSTITUTION - Uganda

Uganda 0 Mali 0

Moses Oloya is off, and on comes long-serving Tonny Mawejje to offer a good grip of that midfield.

 

 

55 min:   CLOSE! - Sylla hits wide

Uganda 0 Mali 0

He should have turned that one in, Yacouba Sylla. But the skipper hits wide of goal to keep the scoreline intact.

Both sides have had early chances at the others' extreme end, a development that promises at least a goal in this stanza. Time will tell.

 

 

53 min:   SUBSTITUTION - Mali

Uganda 0 Mali 0

The Eagles make the first change of the game as namesakes trade places. Lassana Coulibaly gives way for the lanky Kalifa Coulibaly.

When the substitute came on against Ghana, he caused plenty of  problems for the Black Stars with especially his aerial power in the final third.

Can he punish The Cranes?

 

 

47 min:   Bright start

Uganda 0 Mali 0

The Cranes hit the ground running as the second half gets under way, and Malian defender nearly pays the price for poor clearance as the ball ricochets off Farouk Miya but the bounce-off is a little too hard for the young attacker to commit chase.

I wouldn't go after it myself

 

 

HALF-TIME:   Tough conditions

Uganda 0 Mali 0

The talking point of the first-half has been, no doubt, the conditions of the playing surface. The players have struggled to string together consecutive passes, but some, like Mali's Bissouma hasn't been so bad at controlling and getting the ball around.

As it stands, Mali are out of the competition as Egypt are leading Ghana 1-0 in the other Group D game in Port-Gentil - which is also at half-time.

 

 

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   HALF-TIME

Uganda 0 Mali 0

So 45 minutes of action has nothing to reflect on the scoreline. Could the wet surface have had a role in that? Definitely.

The one question is, if the conditions were normal, who would have been ahead by the end of the opening half?

Both sides would claim that but from the look of it, The Eagles of Mali, who need no more than a win to stand a chance, had more chances in front of goal.

 

 

 

   Jjuuko first in ref's book

Uganda 0 Mali 0

And the first booking of the day goes to . . . Murushid Jjuuko.

The resulting Mali freekick comes to nothing.


 

34 min:   Careful with that touch . . .

Uganda 0 Mali 0

A few minutes into this game, we saw Cranes goalstopper Robert Ondongkara replace his gloves as a result of the wet conditions.

The outfield players have also had to endure some frustrating relationship with the ball on slippery ground. While The Eagles seemed to have gotten used to it better, their opponents also settled in along the way. You'd have to be gingerly with the ball though as Hassan Wasswa must have found trying to keep the ball away from Mali's Moussa Marega.

 

 

28 min:   CLOSE! - Miya

Uganda 0 Mali 0

The Cranes are beginning to grow into the game and are seeing more of the ball, and more importantly, have pegged The Eagles in their own half.

They get a free-kick just outside the box and Joseph Ochaya's delivery is cleared but not out of danger as the ball falls kindly to Farouk Miya who lets rip but his shot is blocked out for a corner.

Nothing comes out of the resulting corner kick though.

 

 

22 min:   Pitch, puddles and players

Uganda 0 Mali 0

It's a tale of a pitch, puddles and players.

The intrusive rain might have retreated but the aftermath is as ugly, and the Ugandans will feel hard done-by as they miss an opportunity from close range, thanks to a pool a couple of feet in front of Oumar Sissoko's goal.

On another, dry day, we could have been seeing a goal in the making.

 

 

16 min:   Soaking it all up

Uganda 0 Mali 0

Not the best conditions to officiate a match under, agree?

No doubt Mauritanian referee Ali Lemghaifry and his assistants would agree. However, they have no choice but to suck it up get on with the matter at hand on the pitch.

 

 

11 min:   OOPS! - Miya goes sliding . . .

Uganda 0 Mali 0

While Bissouma, with his distinct hairstyle, cuts a menancing figure in the face of Cranes left-back Godfrey Walusimbi (better known as Jjajja Walu), the Ugandans make the first meaningful surge forward that sees Farouk Miya carry the ball on the right but, again, because of the wet surface, the ball skids out of play. And so does he.

 

 

06 min:   Mali coping better

Uganda 0 Mali 0

Yes, the surface is very very greasy, and as expected, it is greatly affecting passage of play. Fluid passing may be out of question for now as a result, but it's the Malians who seem to have adapted better to the conditions.

Yves Bissouma has blended so well into the environment and is already a thorn on the right flank.

 

 

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   KICK OFF!

Uganda 0 Mali 0

It's the Malians that get the ball rolling. Plenty of puddles on the pitch. How will this encounter turn out like? Will the passes stick over this wet surface?

Game on!

 

9.54pm:   On your marks . . .

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

The two sets of players walk out onto the wet turf of the Stade d'Oyem, and line up for the national anthems.

The Ugandan anthem is sung first.

The Cranes are in a red-top, black-shorts jersey while The Eagles are donning an all-yellow (kinda) outfit.

 

 

9.30pm:   Rain in Oyem

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

The night skies have given way to a downpour in Oyem and for the Cranes players warming up on the Stade d'Oyem turf, it appears business as usual, never minding the rain.

There's pride to play for tonight, and a wet night should be at the periphery of their concerns.

 

 

9.20pm:   Starting XI: Odongkara in goal

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

Micho rests first-choice keeper Denis Onyango and Robert Ondongkara gets the privilege to go inbetween the posts tonight. Geoffrey Massa is out, as is Tonny Mawejje.

 
Here are the starting lineups:

UGANDA - Robert Odongkara, Joseph Ochaya, Geoffrey Kizito, Murushid Jjuuko, Khalid Aucho, William Luwagga Kizito, Denis Iguma, Moses Oloya, Godfrey Walusimbi, Hassan Wasswa, Farouk Miya

MALI - Oumar Sissoko, Hamari Traore, Lassana Coulibaly, Yacouba Sylla, Moussa Marega, Moussa Doumbia, Molla Wague, Mamoutou N'Diaye, Yves Bissouma, Mahamadou N'Diaye, Ousmane Coulibaly

 

 

9.00pm:   What's at stake?

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

Uganda are the only side in this group that are out. With Ghana already through, Egypt and Mali will have to battle it out (separately, that is) for the other place.

Mali need a win to stand a chance while victory for seven-time champions The Pharaohs of Egypt will see them through ahead of Ghana as group leaders.

 

 

8.50pm:   Match preview: Reinstate faith

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

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 Fred Kaweesi, New Vision chief football writer in Oyem

 

"A win against the West Africans, who could still qualify with a win depending on the other group results, will not only reinstate faith among Cranes loyal army of fans, but also remind Africa of their real qualities - a majority of which have gone missing at the Total Africa Cup of Nations.

True, in the games against Ghana and Egypt, Cranes produced performances high on defensive quality, commitment and organization.

Their displays indeed proved that they have significantly reduced the gulf between them and the top African sides.

But then again, Cranes' main architects went missing in both games. 

 

 

8.45pm:   Match preview: 'Element of pride'

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

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 Fred Kaweesi, New Vision chief football writer in Oyem

 

Uganda's results so far have been as constant as the waves that roll over the Atlantic Ocean, a few miles from Port-Gentil, where Cranes were camped before.

And if you were among the Cranes fans that stormed Gabon confident of a faultless run at the Total Africa Nations Cup, you would be forgiven for waking up every day feeling the ocean breeze and hoping that Cranes' back-to-back 1-0 defeats were simply some kind of bad dream.

Just like their fans, the Cranes are still trying to come to terms with premature elimination from the tournament, more so considering that they had even marched into the championship as CAF Team of the Year.

"I thank the supporters for having given their best for us. The team also tried to give its best, but unfortunately it wasn't good enough to see us through," Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic stated.

However, although their final Group D fixture against Mali is inconsequential, the Cranes still have it all to play for.

"When we came here, we knew that we had to play three cup finals. We lost the first cup final with a penalty against Ghana, lost the second cup final against Egypt in the last minute. But our ambition remains that we want to go home with an element of pride and to win the game against Mali," said the Serbian tactician.

 

 

8.35pm:   Algeria coach quits with 'heartache'

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

"For the good of all I decided to quit even though I do it with heart ache, and I wish all the success in the world to the national side," said Georges Leekens in a statement on the Algerian Football Federation website.

 
Algeria bowed out of the tournament after their 2-2 draw with Senegal on Monday. Senegal joined Tunisia in qualifying from the group for the quarter-finals.

After the game in Franceville, Leekens indicated he hoped to continue as coach, with the next target qualification of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

"But given the pressure on the federation and the national team, I preferred to end my contract out of friendship for the president of the FAF (Algerian Football Federation) who deserves respect," he said in the statement.

 

 

8.30pm:   Double exit - Algeria coach quits

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

After failing to steer his side out of the group stage, Algeria's Belgian coach Georges Leekens quit on Tuesday.

The Fennecs were one of the pre-tournament favourites for the competition in Gabon but failed to win a game in their opening group.

 

 

8.20pm:   Top sides see the exit door

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

While it may not have come as a shock that Uganda, goalless from its first two games, was the first nation to exit the tournament, what may have shocked Africa was the eventual exit of top side Algeria, hosts Gabon and defending champions Ivory Coast.

Algeria crashed out of the tournament at the group stage after drawing 2-2 with Senegal and failing to win a single game in Gabon.

 


Gabon's star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang couldn't guide his side past the group stage and after playing out yet another draw in their last group game against Cameroon, it meant the hosts were dumped out of the tournament without a win.

 


Defending champions Ivory Coast also failed to make it out of the group. They had been favored to rise up to the occassion and ease of Group C, but that did not happen.

The Elephants were beaten by Morocco, coached by their 2015 title-winning coach Hervé Renard, subjecting them to an early exit.

 

 

8.06pm:   Five Mali v Uganda facts

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

So what do we know about this encounter? Here are five facts for this match:

- This will be the first competitive meeting between the Malian Eagles and the Ugandan Cranes.

- Little separates the teams on the FIFA rankings with Mali 13th in Africa and 64th in the world and Uganda 18th in Africa and 73rd in the world.

- Both countries experienced the heartbreak a long time ago of losing a Cup of Nations final.

- Mali conceded three second-half goals within seven minutes to lose 3-2 against Congo Brazzaville in the 1972 title decider in Yaounde.

- Uganda was ruled by President Idi Amin when the national team fell 2-0 to hosts Ghana in the 1978 final in Accra.

 

 

8.00pm:   Hello everyone

(Uganda v Mali at 10pm)

Good evening and welcome to this live text commentary as we build up to tonight's Africa Cup of Nations game between Uganda and Mali of Group D.

As you might know already, Uganda failed to move on to the quarter-final stage of the competition after two group defeats to Ghana and Egypt.

Tonight's game will be the last for The Cranes in this campaign.

So, can Coach Micho and co manage to sign out with a positive result? Or with at least a goal? For that to happen, I reckon they'll have to stretch their abilities even more this time.


 

 

2.55pm:   Massa hits back at journalist

James Bakama - New Vision sports writer in Port Gentil

A Ghanaian journalist thought he had floored Uganda Cranes captain Geoffrey Massa when he put it to him that he is past his best.

"It is coming to two years since you scored for the Cranes. So why should we expect much from you?" he asked as everyone went silent in a pre-match press conference.

59 min:   SUBSTITUTION - Uganda

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