Uganda kept their slim World Cup qualification hopes alive following a 1-0 away win over Botswana at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown, Botswana on Thursday evening.
Forward Jude Ssemugabi got the game’s only goal on 54 minutes after being allowed to steal in a header at the near post from an Allan Okello corner.
The result pushed the Cranes to 18 points from nine games and consolidate second position in Group G after Mozambique lost 2-1 at home to Guinea to remain three points behind in third place.
The results mean the Cranes stay in the running for World Cup qualification albeit through a somewhat complex playoff process after Algeria clinched the available direct spot in the group with a 3-0 win over Somalia to jump to 22 points, four ahead of the Cranes with one game left.
The Cranes now need just a draw to confirm second position in the group although it is only a win that can brighten their prospects of finishing among the top four second placed teams from the nine groups to get into the playoffs.
Only one slot is available from that playoff before Africa’s representative plays the final qualification game against a team from another continent.
By Thursday night, they were just out of those top four positions lying fifth but level on 18 points with Burkina Faso and Cameroon.
But the Cranes will take heart from a second away win this campaign in which they were the better side against hosts Botswana who had little to play for.
Rogers Mato was again the Cranes’ liveliest player but equally as wasteful infront of goal spurning goal scoring opportunities in either half.
They will hope to carry that fight into the final game that is also away to Algeria on Tuesday.