For 80 minutes, it felt like Uganda was on the edge of something historic. In the heart of Kabylia, under the lights of Stade Hocine Aït Ahmed, the Cranes stood toe-to-toe with African giants Algeria — and for a moment, they dreamed.
But football can be cruel.
Two late penalties turned joy into heartbreak, as Uganda’s slim chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup were dashed in a dramatic 2-1 defeat on Tuesday night.
The Cranes came into the match knowing that only a win would keep them in the race for one of the four best runners-up spots — a path that could have led to a playoff place. They started brightly, and in just the 6th minute, Steven Mukwala gave Uganda a dream start. After a clever pass from Kenneth Ssemakula, Mukwala finished calmly past Algerian goalkeeper Lucas Zidane.
Uganda pushed forward with confidence. Jude Ssemugabi came close to adding a second, while goalkeeper Salim Magoola kept Algeria out with several strong saves. At halftime, Uganda led 1-0, and belief was building.
But Algeria, already qualified, came out stronger in the second half, urged on by their home fans. Uganda held on bravely until the 80th minute, when the referee pointed to the spot after a handball by Mukwala. Mohamed Amoura stepped up and calmly scored the equaliser.
Just four minutes later, disaster struck again. Magoola was judged to have fouled Amoura while going for a high ball. Injured in the process, he was taken off and replaced by veteran Denis Onyango. Amoura scored his second penalty, sealing the win for Algeria.
Uganda finished second in Group G with 18 points, but it wasn’t enough to progress.
