CECAFA: Okello inspires Uganda past Somalia

Dec 09, 2019

Okello’s strikes saw Uganda beat a determined Somalia side backed by a huge crowd of fans 2-0 at Lugogo on Monday.

Cranes' Okello (left) beats Somalia's Hassan Abdinur Gesey and Abdiaziz Abdulahi Liban (right) during a CECAFA match at Lugogo. PHOTOS: Michael Nsubuga

 

CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup

 

Results

 

Somalia 0 Uganda 2

 

Burundi 0 Eritrea 1

 

Tuesday

 

Sudan v Kenya

 

Tanzania v Zanzibar

 

Wednesday

 

Eritrea v Uganda

 

Burundi v Djibouti 

 

Two spectacular goals from the KCCA FC midfielder Allan Okello inspired Uganda to a second consecutive win in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup

 

Okello's strikes saw Uganda beat a determined Somalia side backed by a huge crowd of fans 2-0 at Lugogo on Monday evening to maintain their top spot in Group A with six points from two games.

 Cranes' Okello celebrates his goal against Somalia 

Uganda who arguably was the better side could have scored more than they did only that forwards Fahad Bayo and substitute Vianney Ssekajjugo were wasteful as they squandered chances created for them by Allan Okello and Bright Anukani.

 

Okello opened the scoring as early as the 27' minute when he fired a powerful shot past Somalia goalkeeper Said Aweys who failed to hold the ball and eventually slipped off his hands and found the back of the net.

 

In the seventh minute, Bayo headed wide from Mustafa Kizza's well-delivered cross. 

 

Kizza continued to be a threat to Somalia after he forced Said to make another save through his free kick in the ninth minute.

 

Okello could have also scored in the 11th minute but he failed to tap in Kizza's beautiful corner kick.

 

Uganda piled more pressure and in the 34th Bayo jumped high to head in Anukani's cross but the Somalia goalkeeper was equal to the challenge as he kept the ball away with his right hand.

 

A rampant Bayo again rose up and high in the air to head in Kizza's cross from the right-wing in the 47th but he hit the crossbar.

 

 Somalia's Said Ali Hussein tackles Uganda's Vianney Sekajugo 

The Second half was no different from the first half as the Ugandans continued to pile more pressure on the fragile Somalis, however, big credit goes to the goalkeeper Said who made a couple of saves to deny Bayo, Ssekajjugo, Anukani.

 

Somalia's best moments in the game came in the opening minute of the game when Omar Abdulahi Mohamed's shot wide just near the left post of the goal.

 

Substitute Ali Aden Muse had a glorious opportunity to pull one back for the Somalis but his effort was frustrated by Charles Lukwago in the 90th minute.

 

Uganda Cranes coach made three changes in the game, Vianney Ssekajjugo came on for Joachim Ojera (75'), Nicholas Kasozi and Karim Watambala all came on for Shafik Kagimu and Joel Madondo respectively.

 

An excited Uganda Cranes coach Jonathan McKinstry appreciated his side for the job well-executed.