It is not a lost cause. At least as mathematics goes, Uganda just have to beat Ghana on Saturday, see off Guinea next Wednesday in Casablanca, Morocco and they will have qualified for the Nations Cup for the first time since 1978.
That is the ideal world. But the challenge coach Micho Sredojevic and his Cranes face is making it practical.
Having failed to arrest the third game bother (of Cranes always struggling in third games of campaigns) as Uganda succumbed 1-0 to Togo at Namboole, the hosts must not let the back-to-back bug pass.
Uganda can draw and still remain in contention but that will leave it out of their hands.
They must beat Ghana and Guinea to be sure of progress and if they do, it will be only the third time Uganda have registered two back-to-back wins since group stages were introduced in the 1992 qualification.
Then â⬓ with the back-to-back games all in Kampala, Uganda beat DR Congo (then Zaire) 2-1 on September 1, 1990 before edging Tanzania 3-2 in April the following year.
In the 2012 qualification, Uganda beat Guinea Bissau away and followed it with a 2-0 victory over the West Africans at Namboole.
Although on the aforementioned occasions the Cranes didnââ¬â¢t qualify, two victories this time will see them progress. But what a challenge! ââ¬ÅI think we can win them,â⬠defender Simeon Masaba, who was in the Cranes team that beat Guinea Bissau home and away, told Daily Monitor yesterday.
ââ¬ÅBut it is the players to take more responsibility, added Masaba. ââ¬ÅYes the coach will do his job but he can only be on the bench. Of course these two games against Ghana, who are leading the table (with eight points and third-placed Uganda on four), and Guinea away are much tougher than Guinea Bissau and that is where playersââ¬â¢ concentration will be key.ââ¬
Elsewhere, the Black Stars, who will be captained by Andre Ayew in Gyan Asamoahââ¬â¢s absence, are expected in the country tomorrow evening.
Cranesââ¬â¢ back-to-back wins since 1990à 1992 Afcon qualifiers September 1, 1990: Uganda 2â⬓1 Zaire April 14, 1991: Uganda 3â⬓2 Tanzania
2012 Afcon qualifiers March 26, 2011: G. Bissau 0-1 Uganda June 4 2011: Uganda 2-0 G. Bissau
RESULTS SHOWING UGANDAââ¬â¢S INEFFICIENCY IN BACK-TO-BACK GAMES:Ã
2000 Afcon qualifiers October 2 1998: Uganda 2â⬓1 Algeria January 24 1999: Liberia 2â⬓0 Uganda February 27 1999: Tunisia 6â⬓0 Uganda April 10 1999: Uganda 0â⬓2 Tunisia June 5 1999: Uganda 1â⬓0 Liberia June 20 1999: Algeria 2â⬓0 Uganda 2002 Afcon qualifiers October 8 2000: Togo 3â⬓0 Uganda January 13 2001: Uganda 1â⬓1 Senegal March 24 2001: Senegal 3â⬓0 Uganda June 2 2001: Uganda 0-3 Togo
2004 Afcon qualifiers
September 7 2002: Uganda 1â⬓0 Ghana March 29 2003: Rwanda 0â⬓0 Uganda June 22 2003: Ghana 1â⬓1 Uganda
2006 Afcon/WC qualifiers
June 6 2004: Uganda 1â⬓0 DR Congo June 19 2004: Cape Verde 1â⬓0 Uganda July 3 2004: Uganda 1â⬓1 Ghana September 4 2004: B. Faso 2â⬓0 Uganda October 10 2004: Uganda 0â⬓1 S. Africa March 26 2005: S. Africa 2â⬓1 Uganda June 5 2005: DR Congo 4â⬓0 Uganda 18 June 2005: Uganda 1â⬓0 C. Verde September 4 2005: Ghana 2â⬓0 Uganda October 8 2005: Uganda 2â⬓2 B. Faso