Uganda v Togo: In pictures

By Joseph Kizza

So Togo came in our backyard and managed to beat our beloved The Cranes 1-0 in a match that was a make-or-break for the West Africans. But while The Sparrow Hawks for now relish their crucial away victory on Saturday, Group E of the Africa Nations Cup qualifiers remains as open as it can get, especially after Guinea and Ghana each managed to make away with half the loot in a 1-1 result the same day.

As it stands, Ghana leads the table with 5 points, Uganda second with 4 points, Guinea in third with 4 points and Togo in fourth with the 3 points they bagged at Namboole.

But anyways, that's football matters for you -- win some, lose some. So for the Uganda Cranes fans, the contest is far from over. Next game is against Togo again, but away from the comfort of home, this Wednesday. The last two games for Micho's boys will be a home clash with Ghana and an away tie with Guinea.

That aside, did you miss the action on Saturday? Well, there was as much happening on the pitch as off the pitch. Take a look . . . 

(PHOTOGRAPHY by Michael Nsubuga)

true
Well, I agree. Let's do it again and again, as this Uganda Cranes fan's placard screams in the local dialect (Luganda). But unfortunately, this time, Togo's The Sparrow Hawks threw a spanner in the works. It's not over yet though, so hang in there buddy!
 

true
Uganda's captain Andrew Mwesigwa had a huge task at hand: keeping Togo dangerman and his opposite (captaincy) Emmanuel Adebayor who towered over the Ugandan defender. What Mwesigwa had to do was make sure he kept his sights on the ball and at the same time on his marker.
 

true
No doubt it was a was busy afternoon for the two captains, and Mwesigwa should have been relieved that the Tottenham Hotspur attacker did not quite bring along his lethal effectiveness in front of goal this time. In truth, by his standards, Adebayor had a below-par performance at Namboole Stadium. Agree?
 

true
Stiffling temperatures. A huge very expectant home crowd. A crucial Group E tie. An English Premiership star (read Adebayor) in town. What better could your Saturday afternoon have unfolded? The only undoing was that it didn't quite end as wished by the home supporters.
 

true
Honestly, if you ever weren't going to Namboole to glue your eyes pitchwards, or that damning scoreboard (at least for the home fan), then surely there were these objects (hot ladies in Uganda Cranes jersey) to interest your eyes. If still you didn't fancy that option, then I would never know else took you to Namboole. Hmm!
 

true
Inside the stadium, some fans, even when Uganda was trailing, did well to keep the hopes of a comeback vibrant, like this enthusiastic female fan. While those on the front line seemed to court depression, or the two on the left shielding their eyes from the sun's rays, others kept on their feet all through, hoping to see the ball roll past the goal posts of a defiant Togo side.
 

true
As always is in football matches, confrontations like this one involving The Cranes attacker Geoffrey Massa with Togolese players, never miss out. 
 

true
If you have ever played football, you will then agree with me that playing under sweltering temperatures like what Mother Nature decided to unleash upon Namboole on Saturday, is not easy. Not at all. Ask Moses Oloya. He will definitely tell you that, here, while chasing after the ball, trying to stop Wome Dove in his paths, what kept him going was the will to win the game, especially in front of a buoyant home crowd, and thinking less about the heat.
 

true
A true Uganda Cranes fan. Blow that vuvuzela (trumpet) brother. Blow harder! and HARDER! "We go, we go! We go, we go! We go Uganda Cranes na mutima!"
 

true
The match saw many wasted opportunities from especially the hosts, and Massa just could not get the target this time. Not with Togo's goalkeeper Djehani Nguissan Yao in his way.
 

true
Well, Togo managed to do what no other team had done in exactly 10 years -- beat Uganda at home. They did just that, thanks to 30th-minute only goal by Donou Konou. Kudos to them, but, rememeber the war is not over yet.
 

true
Airtel Legal and Regulatory Director Dennis Kakonge (L) presents a sh5m dummy cheque to Cranes defender Godfrey Walusimbi aka Jjajja Walu as man of the match after the game. Congs Godfrey!