Allan Okello stars with goal and assist as Byekwaso’s men recover from Algeria defeat
Uganda produced a commanding performance on Friday night, beating Guinea 3-0 at Namboole Stadium to revive their African Nations Championship (CHAN) campaign.
After a disappointing loss to Algeria last weekend, head coach Morley Byekwaso made sweeping changes to his starting XI, including a bold decision to strip Allan Okello of the captain’s armband. But the Vipers playmaker responded in style, delivering a man-of-the-match display that helped lift Uganda to their first win of the tournament.
Reagan Mpande opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, finishing off a flowing move to send the home fans into raptures.
Okello doubled the lead from the penalty spot just after the hour, showing composure to send the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Substitute Ivan Ahimbisibwe sealed the victory in the 80th minute with a deft finish that underlined Uganda’s attacking dominance.
Byekwaso praised his team’s response after the Algeria setback.
“The boys showed character tonight. We worked on our shape, pressed better, and took our chances,” he said in the post-match briefing.
The result moves Uganda level with Guinea on three points in Group C, though the West Africans remain ahead on goal difference.
Algeria top the group with four points following their 1-1 draw with South Africa earlier in the day.
The Cranes will now look to carry this momentum into their final group match, knowing that a win could secure a quarterfinal spot.
Namboole’s atmosphere on the night reflected the high stakes, with a vocal crowd backing the Cranes from start to finish.
For Okello, whose leadership was questioned after last week’s defeat, the performance was a timely reminder of his influence on the pitch.
Uganda’s next test comes against South Africa — a fixture that could define their CHAN journey.
