Khalid Aucho: We are going to AFCON

Uganda Cranes vice captain Khalid Aucho will be expected to lead the team out of the tunnel in their crucial Africa Cup of Nations clash with Niger Thursday night in Marrakech, Morocco.

In the absence of team captain Emmanuel Okwi, the Yanga midfielder is the most senior member of the group and is confident the team can get the desired result and return to AFCON for the first time since 2019.

"The players are fine, and everyone is motivated. All of them are in good shape," Aucho revealed a few hours to the game.

"We are going to give our best, represent the nation. We know what we came here to do, so I know we are gonna make it," he added.

The Cranes need maximum points against a Niger side that cannot qualify regardless of what result they post in their final game.

Uganda are third on the log, with four points, three behind second-placed Tanzania. Only a win will keep the Cranes in contention.

Close attention will also have to be paid to proceedings in Algiers, where Algeria will host Tanzania in the other Group F encounter.

Should Tanzania avoid defeat against the Desert Foxes, Uganda's chances of returning to the continental showpiece will be blown out of the window.

"I just need Ugandans to support us, to be behind us, but I know the players are motivated, and we are going to take Uganda to the AFCON."

Uganda has managed a single win in the qualifiers, Rogers Mato's late goal sealing victory against Tanzania in Dar es Salam to keep the Cranes in touching distance.

The Cranes have missed the last two editions of AFCON and will be hoping to take part in early next year's competition to be staged in Cote d'Ivoire.