RABAT:
Uche Ikpeazu scored a late equaliser before teammate Allan Okello missed a penalty as Uganda had to settle for a 1-1 draw with East African rivals Tanzania in their Africa Cup of Nations Group C clash in Rabat on Saturday.
It is a first point for both sides in their pool after they opened their 2025 campaign with defeats by Tunisia and Nigeria, respectively. Those two sides are in action later on Saturday in Fes.
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The top two teams in each group, as well as the four best third-placed sides across the six groups, qualify for the last 16.
Tanzania took the lead in the 59th minute when Simon Msuva converted a penalty following a handball in the box, but they were to be denied a first-ever win at the continental finals at the 11th attempt.
Ikpeazu’s diving header drew Uganda level, before they were awarded a penalty and the chance to win it late on, only for talisman Okello to put his spot kick over the crossbar.
There was a familiar feel to the contest between two long-standing regional rivals, though this was their first meeting at the Cup of Nations.
Uganda came close to the opener when Rogers Mato’s header came back off the crossbar inside 15 minutes, but the game really came to life in the second half.
Tanzania were awarded a penalty when Alphonce Msanga’s shot from outside the box struck the arm of Uganda midfielder Baba Alhassan, which was deemed to be in an unnatural position.
Msuva stepped up to take the spot kick and fired it into the roof of the net.
But Tanzania could not see the game out and were denied a maiden Cup of Nations finals win when powerful forward Ikpeazu stooped to head in Denis Omedi’s cross from the right.
Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed awarded Uganda a penalty following a tug on the shirt of James Bogere by Haji Mnoga.
Okello is known as ‘Star Boy’ in his homeland, such is his talent, but fluffed his lines on this occasion as he sent his spot kick over the crossbar.
