Côte d’Ivoire advances to knockout stage as Uganda Cranes bad luck continues to bite

Uganda Crane’s bad run at the TotalEnergies African Nations championship (CHAN) continues to bite as they bowed on Sunday evening.

Uganda suffered a 3-1 defeat against Ivory Coast at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers.

The Cranes who were at the top of the table of group B with four points were frog-leaped by the Elephants to book a slot in the knockout stage alongside fellow West Africans Senegal.

Forward Sankara Karamoko scored a diving header from a well-taken Constant Wayou free kick to give the Elephants a deserved lead in the 12^th minute.

Vignon Ouotro extended Ivory Coast’s lead to 2-0 in the 27^th minute derived from a Koffi Habib Cirille Ande cross from the right side.

KCCA FC Midfielder Moses Waiswa pulled one back from a penalty spot after Ande’s foul play onto Rogers Mato in the area, 31 minutes into the game.

In the 78^th minute, the 19-year-old Asec Mimosas forward Karamoko runs continued to put the Ugandan defence under pressure and eventually laid a great pass that was converted by substitute Aubin Kouame Kramo to seal a 3-1 victory.

Côte d’Ivoire will now face hosts Algeria in the first quarterfinal matchup on January 27 at the same venue

Meanwhile, the Uganda Cranes have failed to make it past the group stages in each of the seven consecutive editions that they have qualified for.

Uganda’s best-ever performance at the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) came nine years ago in the 2014 edition in South Africa.

The team under Micho in 2014 got four points and failed to advance to knockout stage after winning their first game against Burkinafaso, a drew with Zambia and lost 3- 1 Morocco, a game from which they need only a point.

At this edition, Uganda Cranes drew 0-0 against Congo in the opener before their 1-0 triumph against Senegal in the second engagement.