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AFCON 2025 GROUP C: WIN OR GO HOME! UGANDA CRANES FACE TANZANIA IN A DO-OR-DIE AFCON SURVIVAL BATTLE

Uganda and Tanzania face early exit fears at AFCON 2025. Explore the team news, lineups, and predictions for the Rabat derby.

AFCON 2025 Group C: Win Or Go Home! Uganda Cranes Face Tanzania In A Do-Or-Die AFCON Survival Battle
Uganda vs Tanzania Kick-Off At Stade El Barid In Rabat

Two teams that lost their first games in the Africa Cup of Nations will clash this Saturday at Stade El Barid in Rabat.

If either team loses, they might get knocked out early from Africa’s big tournament, so both teams will really want to win this one.

Match in short

Uganda didn't have a great start to their Africa Cup of Nations. They lost 3-1 to Tunisia in their first match.

Now, Paul Put’s team needs to beat Tanzania on Saturday to avoid getting kicked out of the tournament. But their recent play hasn't been good.

After losing to Tunisia, they’ve now lost three of their last four matches in all competitions and only won one.

It doesn't look good when it comes to AFCON, having lost six of their last nine games.

Uganda will want to avoid losing three straight for the first time since November 2023.

Plus, if they lose, it will make it harder to advance because they still have to play Nigeria in their last group match.

Still, they’ll think they have a chance against Tanzania, which has been struggling.

Tanzania hasn’t won in eight matches in all competitions (D2, L6), and they’ve lost their last five.

After losing to Nigeria on Tuesday, they are still looking for their first-ever victory at the AFCON after 10 matches (three draws and seven losses).

You’d have to go back to early August to find the last time Hemed Suleiman’s team won, which was a close 2–1 victory over Madagascar.

They’ve scored four goals in their last two matches, including one against Nigeria. The Taifa Stars have been better on attack, having failed to score in their three previous matches.

But they still need to work on defence. They haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last seven matches and have allowed 12 goals.

Team updates

For Uganda, things are the same with injuries. No new issues before Saturday's match.

Besides Yakoub Suleiman and Feisal Salum, who both missed the first match, everyone else is ready to play.

We probably won’t see much change in the team that the coach will pick on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Tanzania might also go with the same team that started against Nigeria, so Zuberi Foba will probably start.

Even though he let in two goals, the goalie played well and stopped Nigeria’s attack a bunch of times.

Defender Novatus Miroshi, who plays for Goztepe in Turkey, played in midfield against Nigeria and did great.

He’ll likely team up with Alphonce Msanga in defensive midfield again to protect the defence.

Uganda might start with:

Magoola; Sibbick, Torach, Obita, Kayondo; Ssemugabi, Semakula, Aucho, Mato; Lorenzen, Mukwala

Tanzania might start with:

Foba; Kapombe, Mwamnyeto, Hamad, Hussein; Mirishi, Msanga; Msuva, M’Mbobwa, Allarkhia; Samatta

KCCA BOUNCE BACK: KASASIRO BOYS OVERCOME RECENT SLUMP WITH A GRITTY 2-1 BUL WIN

KCCA are back: Discover how Ivan Ahimbisibwe and Herbert Achai secured a 2-1 win over Bul to rejoin the UPL title race.

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KCCA climbs to fourth as UPL title race heats up in February

Ivan Ahimbisibwe and Herbert Achai both found the net for KCCA, either side of a Denis Sewagudde goal, in a win that really should let coaches Ssenyondo and Jackson Magera breathe a little easier.

Zeal. Hunger. Character. Attitude. That’s what KCCA coach Brian Ssenyondo wanted to see after his team got handed their third loss in five games last week, a 3-1 defeat to NEC that stung. This time, he finally got it. KCCA showed all those qualities and pulled off a gritty 2-1 victory over Bul in the Uganda Premier League at Phillip Omondi Stadium on Wednesday night.

Ahimbisibwe and Achai scored for KCCA, with Sewagudde briefly levelling for Bul, and the result means Ssenyondo and Magera can at least feel the pressure lift for now.

But maybe more importantly, this win drags KCCA back into the title race. They’re now sitting on 33 points from 17 games, just five behind leaders Vipers.

The game started off tight, both sides feeling each other out, but Bul looked a little sharper early on. Even so, it was KCCA who broke the deadlock in the 31st minute with their first real chance. They overloaded the right, Saidi Mayanja whipped in a cross, and Ahimbisibwe, timing his run just right, dived in for a header. That’s his seventh goal of the season, and honestly, he’s been one of the few bright spots among the club’s new signings.

KCCA then had to dig in. Achai made a crucial block to deny Karim Ndugwa after a cross from Reagan Kalyowa. But just before halftime, the tricky Sewagudde bent in a free kick that completely wrong-footed KCCA keeper Mutwalibi Mugolofa, and Bul were level.

After the break, KCCA rediscovered their missing edge. Four minutes into the second half, left-back Achai stormed forward, played a quick one-two with Ashraf Mugume, then hammered the ball past Bul’s Ikara at the near post.

From there, KCCA held Bul at bay, sealing a rare home-and-away double over their Njeru-based rivals, who remain eighth on 20 points.

Earlier that day, Lugazi captain Richard Ayiko grabbed the winner as his side edged UPDF 1-0 in Najjembe, giving them a six-point cushion above the relegation zone. And at the bottom, Calvary finally picked up their fifth point of the season with a goalless draw against Express in Yumbe.

TITLE RACE HEAT: HOW VIPERS DROPPING HOME POINTS GIVES KITARA A CHANCE TO STRIKE

Vipers SC stay top of the UPL with 38 points! Discover how Warren Buule’s equaliser for NEC FC shook up the title race at Kitende.

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Vipers stay top with 38 points, but Kitara is closing fast

NEC are stuck in seventh place with 24 points from 17 games. Vipers, even after dropping home points for just the second time this season, hang on to the top spot with 38.

Honestly, NEC have drawn more games than they'd like, nine out of 17. That’s a lot of stalemates in the Startimes Uganda Premier League. But this time, their 1-1 draw away to the reigning champs, Vipers, felt like more than just another point. It actually meant something, especially under the lights at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Tuesday evening.

Vipers came out flying. They grabbed the lead early and pretty much ran the first half. Six minutes in, Milton Karisa latched onto a slick through ball from Karim Watambala and curled a lovely left-footed shot past NEC keeper Hannington Ssebwalunyo. That was Karisa’s sixth goal of the season, and for a minute there, it looked like the Vipers were about to run riot, just like they did in their 4-0 demolition of Buhimba last time at home.

NEC looked shaky. Coach Badru Kaddu had seen enough and made two early changes, bringing on Shamir Kimwero and Joseph Dhata for Rashid Kawawa and Daniel Shabene inside 25 minutes. The switch helped steady things, but NEC didn’t really come to life until the second half.

Then, with 15 minutes left, substitute Emmanuel Kulanga swung in a cross, and Warren Buule was there at the far post to head in the equaliser. That goal was well earned; NEC were much better after the break. Richard Basangwa, playing up front, kept his old team busy and even got Bady Da Silva and Enoch Ssebagala booked. Ssebagala didn’t last much longer, getting subbed off after a rough tackle on his former side.

NEC has been busy in the mid-season transfer window. They’ve already added six new faces, and more are on the way. Sam Ssekamatte, who scored five goals for UPDF in the first round, watched from the stands with the rest of the unused squad.

So, NEC holds on to seventh, Vipers stay top, but Kitara could shake things up if they beat URA on Thursday. This title race isn’t done yet.

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