FIFA World Cup Qualifiers – Group E
Mali 1-0 Uganda
Stade D’Agadir
Sunday, 14-11-2021
The Uganda Cranes ended their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign on a losing not as they were defeated 1-0 by Mali on Sunday, November 14.
Kalifa Coulibaly scored the only goal of the contest as he headed home, off a well weighted free kick.
The goal was as a result of Cranes goalkeeper Ismial Watenga’s indecisiveness with the shot stopper failing to show bravery to collect the ball before it fell to Coulibaly’s head.
Uganda put the ball into the back of the net but Allan Okello’s effort was ruled out for offside after the playmaker pounced on a rebound after Ismael Diawara had spilled Bobosi Byaruhanga’s freekick.
The Cranes who were coming off a 1-1 draw at home to Kenya on Thursday, looked decent on the ball and created chances to score, unlike in the past couple of games.
Byaruhanga sent a free kick just-wide, Bevis Mugabi saw a header deflected off target while Ibrahim Orit’s neat connection missed the target.
Coulibaly could have doubled the Eagle’s lead but his effort was superbly dealt with by Watenga.
Defeat means Uganda ends the campaign on nine points from six games-in second place. Milutin Micho Sredojevic’s side has won only twice all campaign (both coming against Rwanda).
For Mali, they finish top of the group with 16 points out of a possible 18 having only dropped points in the goalless draw away to Uganda on match-day two.
