A bold tactical shift paid dividends for the Uganda Cranes as they edged out reigning CHAN champions Senegal 2-1 in a thrilling CECAFA Three Nations Tournament clash at the Black Rhino Academy Stadium in Karatu, Tanzania.
Reeling from a narrow loss to hosts Tanzania earlier in the week, head coach Morley Byekwaso rang the changes—revamping nearly his entire starting XI in search of energy, cohesion, and response. Only goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa retained his place, and the gamble worked wonders.
SC Villa’s duo Arnold Odong and Patrick Kakande rose to the occasion in emphatic fashion. Odong broke the deadlock with a smart finish from a set-piece just past the hour mark, before Kakande doubled Uganda’s lead minutes later from the spot after a Senegalese defensive blunder.
Senegal, struggling to contain Uganda’s pace and pressing, pulled one back in the dying minutes through Serigne Moctar, but it was too little, too late.
Back home, preparations for hosting the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) reached a milestone as the Local Organising Committee (LOC) confirmed Uganda’s readiness to stage Group C fixtures, a quarterfinal, semifinal, and the third-place playoff at the refurbished Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
With an inspired performance against a top-tier opponent and infrastructural assurances from the LOC, Uganda’s football momentum is building—both on the pitch and in the stands—as CHAN 2024 draws nearer.
