Boyz II Men’s End of the Road won’t be making the Cranes playlist anytime soon – it would hit too close to home.
And that’s because it really is the end of the road. Uganda’s hopes of reaching the 2026 Fifa World Cup playoffs evaporated in late drama on Tuesday night, as Algeria came from behind to snatch a 2-1 victory in Boukhalfa.
Steven Mukwala gave the Cranes a dream start in the sixth minute, finishing calmly past Luca Zidane – the great Zinedine’s son – after Kenneth Ssemakula had dispossessed an Algerian player to set him up.
Jude Ssemugabi went close to doubling Uganda’s lead before halftime, narrowly missing Mukwala’s low cross, while Allan Okello also dragged his low-angled shot inches wide after gliding past three defenders early in the second half.
Algeria, already qualified for the World Cup, gradually turned the screw, with Mohamed Amoura and Riyad Mahrez – the latter later withdrawn – leading waves of pressure down both flanks.
Full-backs Toby Sibbick and the impressive Aziz Kayondo were kept busy – with Elio Capradossi and Jordan Obita solid early on in central defence – but the backline finally broke in the 81st minute when Mukwala’s handball in the box handed the hosts a lifeline.
Amoura converted the resulting penalty to make it 1-1, and deep into stoppage time, further chaos in the Ugandan area saw goalkeeper Salim Jamal penalised for a foul before being stretchered off injured.
Substitute goalkeeper Denis Onyango’s first action was to face another Amoura penalty – but the Algerian forward again sent the veteran the wrong way to seal victory in the 90+9 minute.
The defeat left Uganda on 18 points, seven behind group leaders Algeria, and outside contention for the best four runners-up slots in the Caf World Cup playoff round.
The Cranes will now shift focus to the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, scheduled from December 21, 2025, to January 8, 2026.