Uganda Cranes continued their march toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a commanding, if wasteful, 2-0 victory over Somalia at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, on Monday night.
Early strikes from Allan Okello and Jude Ssemugabi settled the contest before halftime, ensuring Uganda secured back-to-back home wins in Group G of the qualifiers. The result keeps the Cranes firmly in the race for a historic World Cup appearance in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
From the opening whistle, Uganda imposed themselves on the game with slick passing and relentless pressure, forcing Somalia to retreat deep into their half. Their dominance paid off within five minutes when left-back Abdul Azizi Kayondo surged into the penalty area, drawing a clumsy foul from defender Abdulle Abdullani. The referee, Ivory Coast’s Ibrahim Traore Kalilou, had no hesitation pointing to the spot.
Okello stepped up with characteristic composure, calmly sending goalkeeper Mohammud Jama the wrong way to spark raucous celebrations from the home crowd.
The second goal arrived in the 38th minute after more chaos in the Somali box. Kayondo’s pinpoint cross was met by Steven Desse Mukwala, whose powerful header forced a fumble from Jama. Ssemugabi was quickest to react, slotting home from close range to double Uganda’s advantage.
Despite their dominance, Uganda failed to add to the scoreline. Mukwala and Ssemugabi squandered clear opportunities, leaving the Cranes with a margin that flattered Somalia.
Still, the evening brought positives. Toby Peter Sibbick impressed on his home debut, while the central defensive pairing of Elio Capradossi and John Jordan Obita continues to grow in stature. Okello’s influential performance further underlined his importance to head coach Paul Put’s plans.
MD6: 🇺🇬 1-0 🇬🇳
MD7: 🇺🇬 4-0 🇲🇿
MD8: 🇺🇬 2-0 🇸🇴Uganda’s recent form in African #WCQ has been nothing short of fantastic. 👏 pic.twitter.com/gNFotwrjyS
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) September 8, 2025
The victory lifts Uganda to 15 points, level with Mozambique, who earlier defeated Botswana in Maputo. Algeria remain top of the group with 19 points after being held to a goalless draw by Guinea in Morocco.
As the qualifiers edge toward the final stretch, Uganda’s back-to-back home triumphs provide momentum, and hope, for a long-awaited World Cup breakthrough.
