Sinan RAJUB SENOGA
• Congo Brazzaville 0-1 Uganda
Uganda Cranes sealed their AFCON Qualification campaign with a 1-0 win over Congo Brazzaville at the Alphonse Massamba-Debat Stadium in Brazzaville.
Youngster Travis Mutyaba scored the all important goal for the Paul Put coached side to seal a deserved victory.
Sweden based forward Calvin Kabuye made his long-awaited Cranes debut in one of the five changes Put made from the previous starting line up against South Africa.
10 minutes into the game, skipper Khalid Aucho was withdrawn and replaced by Bobosi Byaruhanga after picking up an injury.
The Congolese probed the Ugandan defense in search of an opener but Ismail Watenga stood up to the task with a series of crucial saves.
Uganda also had chances from attacks orchestrated by Rogers Mato, Mutyaba, Omedi and Kabuye but couldn’t find the back of the net.
The deadlock was finally broken by Mutyaba in the 52nd minute following Denis Omedi’s quickly started corner kick.
Mutyaba twisted and turned to beat his marker and launched a perfect low shot that found the back of the net to give Uganda the lead.
Subsequently both sides had chances of scoring with the home side desperately searching for a leveller that eventually never came. Mutyaba, Mato and substitute Steven Mukwala had unsuccessful attempts to kill off the game.
Mukwala replaced Kabuye in the 81st minute and had a one on one chance inside the added four minutes.
Ronald Ssekiganda and Kenneth Semakula were the booked players in first and second half respectively.
Uganda finished 2nd on the Group K table with 13 points, one behind leaders South Africa who beat South Sudan 3-0 in the other group game played at the same time.
Uganda Cranes XI; Isma Watenga (GK), Kenneth Semakula, Isaac Muleme, Halid Lwaliwa, Bevis Mugabi, Khalid Aucho (Bobosi Byaruhanga), Ronald Ssekiganda, Travis Mutyaba, Rogers Mato, Calvin Kabuye (Steven Mukwala), Denis Omedi
Unused Subs; Nafian Alionzi, Charles Lukwago, Geofrey Wasswa, Gavin Kizito Mugweri, Allan Okello, Aziz Kayondo, Hakim Kiwanuka, Jude Ssemugabi, Tadeo Lwanga, John Paul Dembe
