Africa-Press – Uganda. Guinea ‘host’ Uganda Cranes in the northeastern city of Morocco in the opening game of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers today.
Coach Paul Put’s first game in charge of Uganda pits him against the side he took to the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations final losing 1-0 to Nigeria.
Friday’s group G contest will be the first clash between the two sides in nine years with Guinea’s National Elephants boasting three win the previous six games.
The group also has Algeria, Mozambique, Botswana and Somalia in a lengthy qualifying campaign which stretches over a two-year period.
Here is a lowdown on the six contests between the West Africans and Uganda Cranes.
March 5, 1976: Guinea 2-1 Uganda (1976 Africa Cup of Nations)
The first meeting came in the group stage of the 1976 edition of the Afcon as Uganda made her fourth appearance at the continental event.
Mamadou Aliou Keïta and Bengally Sylla scored two first half goals that rendered Jimmy Miuguwa’s 85th strike a scant consolation.
Uganda finished bottom of group A to exit the tournament. Egypt and Ethiopia were the other teams in the group.
April 8, 2000: Uganda 4-4 Guinea (2002 Fifa World Cup qualifiers)
Before social media, the pair served one of the most memorable games at Nakivubo stadium.
Pablo Thiam gave the visitors a 1-0 halftime lead. Souleymane Youla made it 2-0 on 55 minutes before Uganda came storming back.
Hassan Mubiru, Magid Musisi and Abubaker Tabula scored a goal each in an 18-minute starting in the 59th to take a 3-2 lead as Nakivubo burst into delirium.
Youla got his second to tie the game. Playmaker Pascal Feindouno, then 19, silenced the home faithful, scoring in the 88th minute.
That lasted only a minute as Jamil Kyambadde, a replacement for Andrew Mukasa, equalised to spare Uganda’s blushes.
April 23, 2000: Guinea 3-0 Uganda (2002 Fifa World Cup qualifiers)
The return encounter wasn’t as eventful as a brace from Feindouno and a goal from former Liverpool striker Titi Camara gave Guinea a 3-0 victory for a 7-4 aggregate score to advance to the group stage.
September 2, 2000: Uganda 3-1 Guinea (2002 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers)
Drawn together in the 2002 Afcon qualifiers, Uganda made an early statement, whipping Guinea 3-1 at Nakivubo.
Mubiru bagged a brace and Mukasa got the other. Feindouno scored for the visitors.
However, the return leg did not happen as Guinea were excluded from competitive football on March 19, 2001 after their sports minister failed to meet a third Fifa deadline to reinstall the Guinean Football Federation leaders.
With that 3-1 results annulled, it contributed greatly to Uganda falling off the pace in a group that had Senegal and Togo.
September 10, 2014: Uganda 2-0 Guinea (2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers)
With Put in charge of what could be termed as Guinea’s ‘best team’ since the 70s, they counted themselves as favourites in the 2015 Afcon qualifiers.
A first half brace from striker Geoffrey Massa ensured that Uganda beat Guinea, who had lost the 2013 Afcon final to Nigeria, 2-0 at Namboole.
November 19, 2014: Guinea 2-0 Uganda (2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers)
Two months after the first meeting, Guinea exerted a measure of revenge, beating Uganda 2-0 through goals from Ibrahima Traore and Seydouba Soumah.
Overall record: Guinea (3 wins), Draws (1), Uganda (2 wins)
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