Uganda Cranes goalkeeper ready to learn from AFCON Qualification failure

Uganda Cranes goalkeeper Salim Jamal is confident the team will pick lessons from its failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Cranes defeated Niger in their final match of Group F but fell short after Tanzania forced a goalless draw with Algeria in Algiers to qualify as Group F’s runner-up.

“Disappointed but we learn and grow from every situation we face in life,” Jamal revealed after hours of taking in the disappointment.

“Allah’s decisions are the best till next time,” he added.

Uganda went into the final match day of the qualifiers with qualification out of their own hands. They needed to win their match and then pray for Tanzania to fall to Algeria.

But the Taifa Stars did something that no other team in Group F had done by holding Algeria to a goalless draw and take a point off the Desert Foxes.

It was the first time Algeria were dropping points in the qualifiers, having won five straight matches to amass 15 points going into the last fixture.

The qualifiers ended with Uganda in third place, one point behind neighbours Tanzania, who then booked a ticket to next year’s showpiece in Cote d’Ivoire.

Jamal and the Cranes went up against a Niger side that had nothing to fight for, as they were out of contention for a place in the finals.

Uganda will now sit out the AFCON for a second straight time, having last been present at the 2019 edition in Egypt.