Mukundane urges home fans to keep CHAN momentum alive

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Hillary Mukundane was among the four changes coach Morley Byekwaso made to Uganda Cranes’ starting line-up in the 3-0 demolition of Guinea on Friday at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, in their second Group C match of the ongoing CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024.

He emerged as one of the night’s standout performers. The other changes were Abdulkarim Watambala, Herbert Achai and Reagan Mpande, who all started the match after coming on as substitutes against Algeria in the opening fixture.

Partnering his Vipers SC teammate Rogers Torach in central defence, Mukundane showed composure and solidity, giving Vipers supporters in the stands a sense of familiarity as they watched their trusted club pairing shine on the national stage.

Notably, Mukundane had been an unused substitute in Uganda’s 3-0 opening defeat to Algeria, a decision that drew criticism from fans. Many argued that pairing him with Torach, as is the case at club level, would have been more effective. Instead, Byekwaso opted for Torach alongside SC Villa’s Arnold Odong, a combination that struggled against the Algerians.

Friday’s result, however, justified the decision to bring Mukundane into the starting line-up. The defender marshalled the backline with authority and experience and is now expected to keep his place when Uganda face Niger on Monday, with Byekwaso indicating there will be minimal changes to the squad.

“It was a good game, the perfect response the fans demanded from us after the poor show against Algeria,” Mukundane said. “The win also gives us confidence that we can still qualify from the group to the knockout stage. I call upon our fans to keep coming in big numbers as they did today. Together, we will make it.”

Uganda are aiming to reach the knockout stage for the first time in their seven previous CHAN appearances. The nation remains hopeful of making history, especially with the advantage of playing at home in the tournament, which is co-hosted with Kenya and Tanzania.

As it stands, Algeria lead Group C with four points, followed by Uganda with three, ahead of Guinea on head-to-head despite being level on points. South Africa are fourth with one point, while Niger sit bottom without a point.

Niger and South Africa have each played one match, while Uganda, Algeria and Guinea have played twice.