The Uganda Cranes took a big step towards keeping their 2026 FIFA World Cup dream alive with a hard-fought 1–0 win away to Botswana on Thursday night.
Jude Ssemugabi was the hero, scoring the only goal of the game in the 54th minute after heading in a corner from Allan Okello. The match was played at the Obedi Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown.
It was a must-win match for Uganda, who are now on 18 points, sitting second in Group G. With Algeria beating Somalia 3–0 on the same day to reach 22 points and secure automatic qualification, the Cranes’ focus is now on the remaining playoff spots. These will be awarded to the four best second-placed teams across all nine African qualifying groups.
While Uganda dominated possession for long periods, they struggled to create clear scoring chances. The best opportunity of the first half fell to Rogers Mato, who cut inside and fired a strong shot, but the Botswana goalkeeper reacted well to deny him.
The win also marked a special moment as veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango returned to the national team for the first time since retiring in 2021. His calm presence and experience helped Uganda stay solid at the back and keep a valuable clean sheet.
Head coach Paul Put made only one change to the team that started in last month’s win over Somalia — bringing back Onyango and it proved to be the right call.
With one group game left to play, the Cranes will now turn their attention to securing second place and improving their position among other second-placed teams.
