David GOMBE
Niger will become Uganda’s 20th different opponents at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) when the two countries face off at Mandela National Stadium in Namboole on Monday.
Niger are also Uganda’s eighth West African opponents in the competition and the Cranes have managed three wins, two draws and lost as many in the previous encounters over West African opponents.
In previous games against West African teams, Uganda have managed wins in 2014, at the 2022 edition, and at the current finals against Burkina Faso, Senegal and Guinea. They have two draws against Mali in 2016 and Côte d’Ivoire in 2018, and two losses to Togo in 2020 and Côte d’Ivoire in 2022.
For Niger, Uganda are their 15th CHAN opponent and the first East African opponent at the finals.
Uganda is also the third host nation that Niger is facing having lost to Sudan on penalties in the quarterfinals of the 2011 edition and a semifinal 5-0 defeat to Algeria in 2022.
Uganda – Key Facts
•Both games so far have ended 3-0: a loss to Algeria and a win against Guinea.
•Win over Guinea was just their third at CHAN (D5 L11).
•Could achieve back-to-back wins for the first time if they win again.
•Win over Guinea was their biggest at CHAN.
•First time scoring three goals in a CHAN game; previous best was a 2-1 win over Burkina Faso in 2014.
•Kept their sixth clean sheet at CHAN in the win over Guinea.
•Had 12 shots at goal against Guinea, four on target, scoring with three.
Scorers vs Guinea: Reagan Mpande, Allan Okelo (penalty), Ivan Ahmibisiwe.
•Herbert Achayi made 16 final-third entries against Guinea, the most by a Ugandan player.
•Goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa kept his first CHAN clean sheet vs Guinea, making two saves (four total in the tournament).
Niger – Key Facts
•Began with a 1-0 loss to Guinea in their opening game.
•Have lost their last three games; last win was against Ghana in the 2022 edition quarter-final.
•Currently on their longest losing run at CHAN.
•Have never previously lost their first two games at CHAN, though they began twice without winning their first two: in 2016 (lost and drew) and in 2020 (drew both games).
•Failed to score in their last three games at CHAN.
•Have gone 348 minutes without scoring at CHAN.
•First time they have ever failed to score in three consecutive games at the finals.
•Record in second group games: P4 W1 D2 L1.
•In second group games, they beat Cameroon at the 2022 edition, drew with Guinea and Congo in 2016 and 2020, and lost to South Africa in 2020.
•Ridouane Assane attempted six tackles against Guinea, more than any other player.
•Abdoul-Latif Gourney had Niger’s only shot on target against Guinea, in the first half; they had none in the second half.
