The Uganda Cranes will now have to defeat Niger with a difference of at least three goals and hope Tanzania losses to Algeria on Matchday six.
UGANDA 1-2 ALGERIA
FULLTIME: The Mathematics has started for the Uganda Cranes
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90' Algeria's striker Slimani has been shown a yellow card.
88' GOAL Fahad Bayo has pulled one back for the Uganda Cranes. Can they push further and salvage at least a point?
80' This is a result Tanzanians want after edging Niger 1-0 in Dar e Salaam earlier today and they have a clear advantage over Uganda as far as the chances of qualifying for the 2023 AFCON are concerned.
75' Benrahma and Slimani have also been introduced for Algeria replacing the brace scorer Amoura and Mahious.
72' Okwi and Miya have been withdrawn for Mugulusi and Mutyaba respectively.
67' GOAL Amoura completes his braces thanks to Mahrez's assist moments after his introduction.
63' Algeria has made a triple substitution; Abdelli, Chita, and Bouanani are off for Mahrez, Aouar, and Bentaleb, respectively.
57' Milton Karisa who has not had a good game has paved way for Richard Basangwa and that is Uganda Cranes' second substitution of this games.
50' It is Algeria that have had a brilliant start to the second half and should have doubled their advantage but Uganda Cranes goalkeeper Salim Jamal pulled off a stunning reflex.
46' Milutin Micho Sredojevic has made his first substitution with Fahad Bayo replacing Bobosi Byaruhanga at the restart of the second stanza.
We Are Back For The Final 45 Minutes. What Can The Uganda Cranes Afford?
Halftime: The Desert Foxes have a slim advantage and Uganda Cranes' chances of qualifying for the 2023 AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast are in Jeopardy.
44' Uganda Cranes midfielder Bobosi Byaruhanga is booked first in this game.
42' GOAL Amoura has broken the deadlock for Algeria after Uganda Cranes goalkeeper Salim Jamal's blunder.
40' The first clear sight on goal falls to the Uganda Cranes with Farouk Miya forcing Mandrea into a fine save from a volley inside the 18 yard box.
35' A brilliant move from the Uganda Cranes with Emmanuel Okwi connecting well with Rogers Mato but his cut back found an already closed down Farouk Miya.
30' Half an hour has been played and we are yet to register a clear cut opportunity from either side.
23' Water break midway through halftime under the scorching sunshine in Douala, Cameroon.
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15' We have witnessed a slow start with both teams just trying find a footing in this contest in the opening quarter of an hour.
In the other Group F game, Tanzania has edged Niger 1-0 taking the Taifa Stars to seven points in the second position and that means that Uganda has to win here against Algeria to keep their chances of qualifying to the 2023 AFCON alive.
We Are Underway At The Japoma Stadium In Douala, Cameroon.
It is Simon Msuva that scored Tanzania's goal in the 69th minute.
As Uganda takes on Algeria in the next couple of minutes, it is worth noting that Tanzania is leading Niger 1-0 in the other crucial Group F game at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Algeria head coach Belmadi has left out the likes Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez and West Ham United's Said Benrahma.
Both Farouk Miya and Rogers Mato came off the bench against Tanzania to combine for the only goal of the game the last time out when the former provided the assist for the latter to score.
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13:33 - 08.06.2023
FOOTBALL Where are the goals in the final Uganda Cranes team?
Mato scored, who scored four against Soltilo Bright Stars on the final day of the season, ended up with 11 and, incidentally, was the last player to score a goal for the Cranes.
Four StarTimes Uganda Premier League players have started for the Uganda Cranes; the SC Villa duo of Kenneth Ssemakula and Gift Fred, Vipers SC captain Milton Karisa, and KCCA FC forward Rogers Mato.
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10:57 - 18.06.2023
OPINION WHY the Uganda Cranes need to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
This was after the team's elimination in the round of 16 after losing to Senegal 1-0.
Djamel Belmadi guided Algeria to the 2019 AFCON title in Egypt while Milutin Micho Sredojevic's biggest achievement is returning the Uganda Cranes to the continental stage for the first time since 1978 in 2017 in Gabon.
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After Algeria's qualification, the race for a second slot from Group F remains open to Uganda, Tanzania, and Niger.
The Uganda Cranes lost their build up game to this AFCON Qualifier 1-0 to DR Congo here at the Japoma Stadium on Wednesday.
Coming into today's game, Algeria have won all their previous four Group F games and that is how the Desert Foxes have managed to qualify for the 2023 AFCON tournament already as the Group leaders.
In the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations held in Cameroon, the Desert Foxes had a dismal performance at Japoma, managing to secure only one point from three group matches.
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12:47 - 17.06.2023
FOOTBALL Rogers Mato saved Micho’s job and gave Uganda Cranes hope
With that goal, Uganda picked maximum points and moved from one to four points in Group F and off the bottom.
Defenders Joseph Ochaya and Gavin Kizito will miss today's game through injury, while Algeria will also be without some key players including Youcef Belaili the scorer of one of the two goals in the first leg.
Uganda missed the 2021 AFCON tournament in Cameroon while Algeria was dumped out from the Group stages.
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Uganda has managed to score only twice in four games during the ongoing AFCON Qualifiers. Rogers Mato scored as Uganda edged Tanzania 1-0 while Milton Karisa netted in a 1-1 draw with Niger.
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13:23 - 17.06.2023
AFCON 2023 The head-to-head record gives Uganda Cranes hope over Algeria
Uganda and Algeria have met 14 times, winning five games and sharing the spoils in the other four.
Villarreal defender Aissa Mandi and Ajacio forward Youcef Belaili scored for Algeria during their 2-0 win over Uganda in the first leg.
The first leg between these two nations ended 2-0 in favour of Algeria a year ago in Algeria.
Uganda comes into this encounter as hosts, although it will be played at the Japoma Stadium in Douala, Cameroon, given that the former lacks a facility with the required standards to host CAF and FIFA games.
Welcome to the Pulse Sports Uganda Live Blog for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier between Uganda and Algeria.
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