Uganda Cranes have earned an early advantage in the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier after sealing a first-leg victory over Tanzania at Benjamin Mkapa stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday evening.
A late strike from substitute Travis Mutyaba was enough to give the Uganda Cranes advantage ahead of the return leg on September 3rd, 2022.
Uganda Cranes which entered the game with goal-scoring challenges tried to create a few chances through captain Milton Kariisa, and Moses Waiswa but failed to hit the target.
As the game unfolded, both teams sat back before ending the first half goalless.
Uganda Cranes’ goal came in the 89th minute when the SC Villa youngster Mutyaba capitalized on a mistake by a Tanzanian defender to win possession from the right flank, dribbled past one defender and struck past goalkeeper Aishi Manula.
Speaking after the game, Uganda Cranes Head coach Milutin Micho Sredejovic said his team struggled to break Tanzania’s organized defense in the opening half, but added that the two substitutes Mutyaba and Richard Basangwa later ignited a few attacks which would later yield a goal.
Goal score Mutyaba said he is happy for the late goal that will help Uganda enter the return leg with an advantage.
After sealing an away advantage in Dar-es-salaam, Uganda Cranes will be determined to win the second leg and qualify for the CHAN tournament to take place in Algeria in January next year.
The CHAN tournament is played between the best national teams of Africa, exclusively featuring players who are active in the national championships and qualified to play in the ongoing season.
This edition of the tournament was initially slated for 10 July to 1 August 2022, but the African Soccer governing body, CAF rescheduled it to January 2023.