Prime
Cranes just edge Red Devils
When Congo (in white) visited, William Kizito Luwagga was Uganda Cranes' playmaker. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
The Cranes clash with the Red Devils on Monday at Namboole will be the eighth overall between the sides. Uganda have won four against Congo’s three, with only one draw
Matches involving Uganda and Congo can at times produce some spectacular scorelines. Yet the two can also be mean, albeit for a limited time. The pair hardly share spoils.
Only once have they shared crumbs in their eight encounters, and that - in 2017 - is actually the last time they met.
A 4-3 win record in favour of Uganda gives the Cranes a head-to-head edge heading into Matchday Two of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Monday.
Got their number
Actually, Uganda - now coached by Belgian Paul Put - go into this one having never lost a major qualifying tie against Congo over two home and away games.
The two have faced off in two qualifying campaigns, the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup.
In the 2013 Afcon qualifiers, the Cranes were thrashed 3-1 by the Red Devils in the first leg in Pointe Noire before Uganda turned on the style in Kampala, demolishing the visitors 4-0.
Andy Mwesigwa, Godfrey Walusimbi, Geoffrey Massa and Emmanuel Okwi scored the goals but the Cranes were later to lose out on qualification in a playoff penalty shootout to Zambia.
The most recent competitive encounter is the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, where Uganda again came tops.
Uganda won 1-0 at home before drawing one-all in Congo, but the four points from the Red Devils were not enough for Uganda - who finished second on nine points, four behind leaders Egypt.
The other two competitive matches were in the Nations Cup finals tournament and the African Games.
Uganda beat Congo 3-1 in the group stage of the 1978 Afcon, where the Cranes lost the final to hosts Ghana, while the Red Devils edged the Cranes 2-1 at the Africa Games tournament in 1965.
Evenly poised
Congo, who opened their 2025 Afcon campaign at home to South Sudan on Thursday, will hope to get one over the Cranes over the two legs this time round.
But again, Uganda - who started their journey to Morocco 2025 away to South Africa on Friday, are also desperate to return to the tournament they last played at in 2019 in Egypt.
Uganda’s squad is finely balanced with 20 foreign-based professionals and eight domestic league stars.
Strikers Shaban Muhammad, Steven Mukwala, Denis Omedi and new youngster, 21-year-old Calvin Kabuye, will hope for a nod upfront from Put.
From the middle going forward, coach Put has options from experienced Khalid Aucho just in front of Bevis Mugabi and company, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Travis Mutyaba and Allan Okello and Rogers Mato among others.
A look at the Congo squad and you realise there is no local-based player.
Apart from goalkeeper Pavelh Ndzila, who plays with APR of Rwanda, the rest ply their trade majorly in second and third tier leagues across Europe.
Uganda vs Congo head-to-head
Games won: 4
Games drawn: 1
Games lost: 3
Previous matches between Uganda and Congo
Nov 12, 2017 Fifa WC Qualifiers
Congo 1-1 Uganda
Nov 12, 2016 Fifa WC Qualifiers
Uganda 1-0 Congo
Jun 16, 2012 Afcon Qualifiers
Uganda 4-0 Congo
Feb 29, 2012 Afcon Qualifiers
Congo 3-1 Uganda
Mar 6, 1978 Afcon Finals
Uganda 3-1 Congo
Jan 26, 1973 International Friendly
Uganda 3-1 Congo
Nov 12, 1965 International Friendly
Congo 2-1 Uganda
Jul 21, 1965 African Games
Congo 2-1 Uganda
