A night for the history books as Uganda break CHAN jinx

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 2024 AFRICAN NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP 

 MONDAY (AUGUST 18) GROUP C RESULTS 
🇿🇦 South Africa 3-3 Uganda 🇺🇬 
🇩🇿 Algeria 0-0 Niger 🇳🇪
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"You had to be there to witness it!"

That was the caption of a 2:17am video post on Uganda Cranes' social media platform X capturing the dramatic conclusion to a pulsating six-goal thriller at Mandela National Stadium in Uganda's capital Kampala on Monday (August 18).

In the 83rd minute of an absorbing contest under floodlights, African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 co-hosts Uganda were destined for an all-too-familiar, heartbreaking group-stage exit from the competition at a record seventh time of asking. From several yards out, South African midfielder Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo swept the ball into an abandoned net to stab a painful dagger into the side of the watching Ugandan fraternity. 3-1.

South Africa led. Uganda trailed. Bafana Bafana on the brink of progression. The Cranes on the cusp of elimination.

Yet, football sometimes has a mind of its own. It was not over yet. Five minutes later, 'The Little Magician' in the form of Allan Okello showed courage, confidence and composure to coolly reduce Uganda's deficit by converting an 88th-minute penalty after Ivan Ahimbisibwe was downed inside the South African area. 3-2. 

Then deep in stoppage time, Cranes skipper Rogers Torach, feeling the heavy weight of expectation of an anxious nation on his 22-year-old shoulders, stepped forward to replicate what his teammate had done after forward Menzi Masuku handled in the area. Torach did not miss a beat. Samukelo Xulu got the bearings right, but the outstretched South African goalie failed to stop the powerful low right-footed effort. BANG! 3-3.

Not long after, Burkina Faso referee Vincent Kabore's eagerly awaited final whistle went. Exhausted players dropped on the turf as others dashed onto the pitch to greet them. Celebrations across the stadium. Tears of joy in the Ugandan camp, tears of agony among the South Africans. Hugs and kisses, leaps of elation. 

Memorable night

It was a night to remember. A night for the history books.

Uganda had finally broken the jinx after six previous CHAN appearances had seen them not go beyond the group stage. Uganda were through to the quarterfinals as Group C leaders. Fellow Pamoja co-hosts Kenya and Tanzania had done the same in their respective groups A and B. It is a first in the history of CAF competition: three co-hosts all advancing to the knockout stage. 

The nail-biting, grueling contest in Kampala on Monday night did well to stretch the nerves of the tens of thousands watching to the very last kick of the ball.

Against the run of play, The Cranes took the lead 31 minutes into the game, with Jude Ssemugabi the deliverer of that goal — his first of this campaign — that was the final product of a blistering counterattack that caught out the South African fortress.

Reagan Mpande, the architect-in-chief of that swift transition, raced down the left flank and held on to the ball just long enough for fellow white shirts to arrive and fan out inside the Bafana Bafana final third. He then released the ball to the industrious Patrick Jonah Kakande, who squared a pass for the heavily marked Ssemugabi to slot past Samukelo Xulu and raise the decibels inside the full stadium.

Molefi Ntseki's men, dominant on the ball for long periods of the opening half,  returned from the break trailing but knowing they were very much still in it.

Indeed, seven minutes after the restart, Ramahlwe Mphahlele brought the South Africans back on level terms after a goalmouth scramble from a freekick. Initially ruled out by the centre referee for apparent offside, video assistant referee (VAR) intervention moments later confirmed the goal after a review.

Six minutes after that equalizer, The Cranes switched off momentarily, allowing Thabiso Kutumela to capitalise on a quick throw-in to beat his minder and score an angled goal to silence the 34,000-plus predominantly home audience packed inside Namboole.

At 2-1, the tables had turned — also literally, with South Africa leaping to the summit of Group C ahead of Algeria (who, being held by Niger in Nairobi, were in second) and Uganda, who dropped from top to third.

Ndlondlo's third goal in the 83rd minute after Cranes keeper Mutakubwa was left stranded after being drawn several yards out of his abandoned goal piled more misery on the Ugandans. While some dejected fans headed for the exit, thousands others stayed put, hoping and praying for a magical change of fortunes.

And it came in the form of two late penalties. Okello stepped up to convert from the spot in the 88th minute for his third goal of the campaign. Then deep in stoppage time, Masuku gave away a penalty. Cranes skipper Torach had to muster steely nerves to deliver the much-desired equalizer to send Uganda into frenzied celebrations.

The contest had flipped back in favour of Uganda, who held on just long enough until referee Kabore's final whistle. The Cranes not only advanced to the quarterfinals as Group C leaders, but also wrote their names in Ugandan history books.

Uganda came into Monday's crucial game knowing they only needed to avoid defeat against 2011 quarterfinalists Bafana Bafana to progress. While coach Morley Byekwaso and co had desired a victory, they will definitely settle for the draw result, especially after having come up as second-best in a contest dominated by the South Africans.

Coach Ntseki had hoped to celebrate his 56th birthday with victory on the pitch, but despite his free-flowing team's exit from the competition, he will know they put in their all.

Algeria, meanwhile, took the second qualification spot after registering their third draw of this campaign in a goalless affair at Nyayo National Stadium in Kenya's capital Nairobi.

The Cranes and The Desert Foxes will now wait to learn the identity of their quarterfinal opponents, who will be the runners-up and winners of Group D, respectively. It could be Sudan, reigning champions Senegal or Congo. This group will be decided on Tuesday. With Nigeria already eliminated, any one of the three surviving teams can qualify.

Sudan know they will progress if they avoid defeat against the holders. But both teams will be through if Nigeria beat Congo or if the contest ends in a draw. The Red Devils must win to stand a chance.

Six teams qualify, 10 eliminated

Six of the quarterfinalists of this eighth edition of Africa's flagship biennial tournament featuring exclusively home-based players are now known.

Tanzania, hosting this competiton alongside Kenya and Uganda, were the first team to progress — a first. Taifa Stars, having wrapped up their group stage production unbeaten and with 10 points at the summit of Group B, were joined by Madagascar.

Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Central African Republic bowed out.

In Group A, debutants Kenya survived the "group of death" that featured the two most-successful teams of this competition in the form of Morocco and DR Congo.

Harambee Stars, ever buoyed by a large passionate home crowd, topped the group on their way into the knockout stage on the first time of asking after edging Zambia 1-0 on Sunday.

Morocco, winners of CHAN in 2018 as hosts and in 2020, secured the second qualification spot after beating close challengers DR Congo, who are 2009 (inaugural) and 2016 champions.

Monday night's Group C results meant that all the three co-hosts of this edition have qualified as leaders of their respective groups.

In the quarterfinals, Kenya will battle with Madagascar in Nairobi this Friday (August 22) while Morocco will face off with Tanzania the same day in Dar es Salaam to determine who moves on to the semifinals.

Uganda will face off with the runners-up of Group D in Kampala on Saturday (August 23) while Algeria will lock horns with the winners of the same group in Zanzibar City the same day.

10 draws

This edition got under way 16 days ago in Tanzania's port city of Dar es Salaam, with co-hosts Taifa Stars opening their campaign with a 2-0 win over Burkina Faso. Ten of the 34 games played thus far have ended in a draw.

In Group A, Angola drew 1-1 with co-hosts Kenya in Nairobi. Madagascar and Mauritania produced a stalemate in Dar es Salaam in Group B, as did hosts Tanzania against Central African Republic in their final group game.

In Group C, Algeria and South Africa could not be separated at the end of 90 in a 1-1 result in Kampala. Algeria were also held by Guinea in a contest that ended 1-1 while it was goalless between South Africa and Niger. The final round of group games saw Uganda draw 3-3 with South Africa and Algeria 0-0 with Niger.

Group D produced two draws in Zanzibar City: Congo 1-1 Sudan and Senegal 1-1 Congo.

72 goals in 34 games

Right from day one, the goals conveyor belt has been running, and as it stands, 72 goals have been scored in the 34 games played across the four groups.

Twenty-two of those 72 have been netted in the concluded Group A while Group B has produced 19 of the goals. Twenty-two goals have been scored in Group C and nine in Group D, which is the only group to have four teams.

With three goals each to their names, Uganda's Allan Okello, South Africa's Thabiso Kutumela and Morocco's Oussama Lamlioui (#9) lead the goalscoring chart at this edition.

Eight players have each scored two goals.

They are Kenya's Austin Odhiambo and Ryam Ogam, Tanzania's Clement Mzize, Morocco's Mohamed Rabie Hrimat, Angola's Kaporal, Sudan's Abdel Raouf, Algeria's Sofiane Bayazid and Madagascar's Lalaina Rafanomezantsoa.

The other 47 goals have each been scored by an individual player.

 Penalty goals 

Nine of the 72 goals scored so far at this tournament have been from the penalty spot.

Austin Odhiambo converted from the spot in the 12th minute as co-hosts Kenya drew 1-1 with Angola in Group A. Mohamed Hrimat's late penalty against DR Congo sealed Morocco's progression into the knockout stage.

In first-half stoppage time, Tanzania's Abdul Sopu slotted his side into the lead to put the co-hosts on course for a 2-0 win over Burkina Faso in Group B. Burkina Faso would then become penalty beneficiaries as Abdul Abass Guiro (61) and Patrick Malo (78) succesfully scored their penalties in a 4-2 triumph over Central African Republic.

Alassane Diop's penalty in first-half stoppage time was the lone winner for Mauritania against 10-man Burkina Faso, a result that eliminated The Stallions from the competition with a game to spare.

In Group C, Okello of Uganda did not even do a run-up to the ball as he coolly slotted home from the spot as the co-hosts brushed aside Guinea 3-0. He converted again from the spot against South Africa and so did teammate and captain Rogers Torach.

In Group D, Walieldin Khidir's 44th-minute penalty put a dominant Sudan on course for a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Nigeria, a result that condemned the CHAN Eagles to a premature exit from the tournament with a game to spare.

 Own goals 

Twice have we seen players bury their heads in their hands over the freakish goal after turning the ball into their own net.

Quinto was the first scorer of this unwanted goal as Angola collapsed to a 2-0 defeat to joint-record winners Morocco in Group A in Nairobi.

Then came Nigerian defender Leonard Ngenge's blunder 25 minutes into their crushing, tournament-ending 4-0 defeat to a resplendent Sudan side in Group D in Zanzibar City.

 Fastest and latest goals 

As it stands, Jo Paciencia has scored the fastest goal at this tournament, his strike coming only seven minutes into Angola's 1-1 draw against Kenya's Harambee Stars.

On the other end, the latest goal to be scored has come six minutes in stoppage time (90+6): Rogers Torach's decisive penalty equalizer against South Africa that sent Uganda into the quarterfinals.