AFCON 2021: Tito Okello guns down Cranes to halt early flight to Cameroon
It was only the work of Ugandan born Tito Okello to halt Cranes' early flight to Cameroon when he scored the lone goal as South Sudan beat the visitors, one-nil in Nyayo stadium on Monday afternoon.
Prior to the game, Uganda was suited to book an early straight place in their third consecutive AFCON finals with a win in Kenya, thanks to an earlier win at home against the same opponents but things turned around.
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Former Vipers’ striker, Tito Okello who has just completed a switch to South Sudan was around to halt his former country’s dream when he converted a 35th-minute penalty to put Ugandans’ celebrations to a little halt.
Halid Lwaliwa, who scored the prized header against the same opponents in the earlier game in Kampala turned from a hero to villain in a space of only two games when he fouled Wol Makueth in the forbidden area for the centre referee to point to the penalty spot.
Okello made no mistake to put the ball at the back of the net by sending Uganda’s captain, Denis Onyango the wrong way for celebrations by the players of the youngest nation in the world to begin.
Earlier, Cranes had been reduced to 10 men after Khalid Aucho was shown marching orders for unsporting behavior against the hosts at the Nyayo national stadium in Kenya.
The win ensured South Sudan secured their first win in the group after losing the first three games in the group but on the other side ensured Uganda will take a little longer before qualifying for the AFCON finals in Cameroon set for next year.
For Uganda remains second in group B on seven points, one below leaders Burkina Faso who were held to a goalless draw by Malawi in Blantyre.
South Sudan starting XI:
Majak Maling, Peter Maker, Mutwalik Abdelkarim, Rehan Angier, Sebit Omot, Stephen Pawar, Jackson Morgan, Munyomov Achoi, Tito Okello, Daniel Chok, Wol Makueth
Uganda Cranes starting XI :
Denis Onyango, Nicholas Wadada, Disan Galiwango, Halid Lwaliwa, Timothy Awany, Khalid Aucho, Karim Watambala, Farouk Miya, Allan Okello, Fahad Bayo, Kizito Luwagga
