Uganda’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign ended abruptly following a 3-1 defeat to Nigeria, with players acknowledging that desperation and costly mistakes contributed to their exit.
Goalkeeper Denis Onyango was candid in his post-match assessment, admitting that the Cranes’ urgency played into the hands of the Super Eagles. Needing a win to stay alive in the tournament, Uganda struggled under pressure against a composed Nigerian side.
“We were desperate for goals, and Nigeria punished us,” Onyango said. “They are a quality side.”
Nigeria, guided by coach Eric Chelle, dominated the match with a brace from Raphael Onyedika and a goal from Paul Onuachu, sealing Uganda’s elimination from the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
Striker Uche Ikpeazu, who has a Nigerian father and Ugandan mother, also reflected on the result. The St. Johnstone forward had hoped to inspire the Cranes against his father’s homeland but instead focused on lessons learned and future growth.
“I will be supporting Nigeria to lift the AFCON. Uganda is a great national team, much respect to them,” Ikpeazu said. “The quality showed, and I think at times some of the goals we conceded are mistakes, but it’s a learning curve. We are a very young group; we will learn, and we can do better. I tried my best, and that is the most important thing.”
With Uganda eliminated, attention now turns to the remaining Group fixtures across the tournament, including Ivory Coast vs Gabon, Mozambique vs Cameroon, Sudan vs Burkina Faso, and Algeria vs Equatorial Guinea.
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