In a thrilling display of character and tactical grit, Uganda’s Crested Cranes fought back from a goal down to seal a massive 2–1 victory over powerhouses Zambia in the first leg of their LA 2028 Olympic Qualifier at Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo.
Under the guidance of newly appointed head coach Firew Hailegebreal Asefa, the Cranes showed zero fear against the highly favored Copper Queens.
The game started on a tense note for the home fans when Prisca Chilufya caught Uganda off guard to give Zambia an early lead.
However, rather than collapsing against the continental giants, the Crested Cranes reset their lines, pressed higher, and took control of the match.
The breakthrough for Uganda came around the half-hour mark when Agnes Nabukenya stepped up to deliver a sensational, ferocious strike from a free kick outside the box, restoring parity before the halftime whistle.
Uganda maintained their high energy in the second half, and in the 57th minute, Nakivubo erupted.
Following a clever short-corner sequence between Auki Kigogo and Zaina Nandede, Nandede floated a precise cross into the box that Sylvia Kabene headed home from close range.
Despite late pressure from the Zambians, Uganda held firm through injury time to secure a historic single-goal advantage heading into the second leg.
The Crested Cranes will travel to Ndola next Tuesday to face Zambia at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
The aggregate winner over two legs advances to the third round, where they will face either Ghana or Mauritius.
Elsewhere in Nairobi, Kenya beat Seychelles 11-0 at the Ulinzi Complex Complex and heads into the second leg with a big advantage.
