“Derby games are never easy because they don’t respect class, form or any kind of supremacy.”
These were the words of Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) President Moses Magogo after Uganda Cranes beat South Sudan in the Friday night East African derby.
Uganda Cranes ensured they kept their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualification hopes alive after a hard fought 1-0 win in a match played at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, Namboole.
Both teams had thousands of fans in the recently renovated stadium.
The first half was boring and frustrating for both teams, with no one finding the back of the net.
Cyprus based defender Bevis Mugabi scored the lone goal two minutes after the interval when he finished off a rebound after the South Sudan defenders failed to clear their lines off a corner.
Uganda coach Paul Joseph Put made some changes as the hosts pushed forward in the second half while the South Sudan team defended for longer spells.
The win takes Uganda to seven points in Group K following their earlier matches that saw them draw 2-2 away to South Africa and a 2-0 home win against Congo Brazzaville.
“The derbies are normally decided by minor details and most importantly the team that wants to win more than the other takes the day,” Magogo said.
“Congratulations boys for this result. Now let us take it to them and make it 6 points after the 180 minutes,” he tipped the team.
