IFFHS CONTINENTAL NEWS - CHAN DAY 17
Picture : Uganda entered in History !
Dramatic and historic quarterfinal appearance for Uganda as South Africa bow out.
The setting at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium, Kampala had everything to make the day a historic one. Uganda First Lady Janet Museveni was amongst the overflowing capacity of a particularly boisterous stadium. Six goals were scored during what was clearly the most exciting match of the ongoing CHAN with the final verdict being delivered during the dying moments of the blitzkrieg.
South Africa demonstrated outright domination during most of the first half but it was Uganda that put meaning in their fight back. And it will be Reagan Mpande to engineer an onslaught from the median serving Patrick Kakande who laid a perfect pass for Kitara FC's Jude Ssemugabi to connect home. 1/0 for Uganda in the 32nd minute. Being led by a goal upon return from the locker room South Africa bestowed signs of a revitalized side with a refined sense of mission. Proof: they scored two goals in six minutes courtesy of Ramahlwe Mphahlele of Amazulu FC in the 53rd minute and Thabiso Kutumela of Richard's Bay FC in the 59th minute. At 2/1 hopes began dwindling in Ugandan camp and it would gravely subside in the 83rd minute with the third goal for South Africa after Orlando Pirates' Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo lobbed into a goal left vacant by a rare error by keeper Joel Mutakubwa. A match is neither won nor lost, it is said and that was how it went thereafter. A foul in the box saw Uganda climb to 2/3 courtesy of the 88th minute penalty conversion by SC Vipers' Allan Okello. And then when South Africa thought qualification was already assured, a VAR check confirmed the Menzi Alson Masuku's hand had stood in the way of the ball in the box. Keeper Samukelo Zulu dived and touched the ball but the power pomped into it by Rogers Ochaki Torach of SC Vipers sent it right into the net. 3/3 on 90' + 6' minutes. Uganda had bounced back from adversity qualifying for the first time in the CHAN quarterfinals while ruthlessly showing South Africa the back door out of the competition. An attempt by captain Neo Maema to protest the turn of event at full time almost earned him a red card from Burkinabe referee Vincent Kabore. It was all tears in their camp, contrasting with the mvp award to Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo of South African clubside Orlando Pirates.
In another group C game played simultaneously, Algeria and Niger played to a 0/0.
Group D closes the CHAN groups phase this Tuesday with the games Nigeria vs Congo and Sudan vs Senegal.