Needing a victory against Nigeria to keep their hopes of advancing alive, Uganda entered the match with high determination. However, they quickly faced the worst-case scenario. Early in the game, their first-choice goalkeeper, Denis Onyango, suffered an ankle sprain while attempting to clear a corner kick.

Nigeria players celebrate a goal in their victory over Uganda. Photo: AFP

Denis Onyango started the match but left the field after the first half due to an ankle sprain.

Salim Magoola replaced him at the start of the second half but received a direct red card for handling the ball outside the penalty area.

The third goalkeeper, Nafian Alionzi, came on and conceded two goals.

The 40-year-old custodian initially tried to continue playing, making a spectacular save from a close-range shot by Paul Onuachu. However, in the 28th minute, Onyango rushed out, misjudged his timing, and allowed Paul Onuachu to score into an open net, giving Nigeria the lead.

Onyango required further medical attention before halftime and was unable to play in the second half. Salim Magoola came on as his replacement but lasted only 11 minutes on the field. Magoola received a direct red card for handling the ball outside the box to prevent Victor Osimhen from scoring.

Uganda was forced to bring in their third goalkeeper, Nafian Alionzi, who then conceded two goals to Raphael Onyedika within five minutes, from the 62nd to the 67th minute. Uganda's subsequent efforts only resulted in one goal, scored by Rogers Mato in the 75th minute.

The 1-3 loss left Uganda at the bottom of Group C, leading to their early elimination from the tournament. Meanwhile, Nigeria secured a perfect nine points and will face one of three teams—Ivory Coast, Cameroon, or Mozambique—in the round of 16.

Nigeria is considered a strong contender at AFCON 2025, boasting several star players such as Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray), Samuel Chukwueze, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi (Fulham), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta), and Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas). Nigeria has won the Africa Cup three times, in 1980, 1994, and 2013.

The round of 16 pairings for AFCON 2025 have been partially determined, featuring: Mali - Tunisia, Egypt - Benin, Morocco - Tanzania, and Algeria - DR Congo. These matches are scheduled to take place from 3/1 to 5/1.

AFCON 2025, the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will be held from 21/12/2025 to 18/1/2026. Morocco was chosen as the host nation, marking the second time this North African country will host AFCON, following the 1988 tournament.

AFCON 2025 is the first time the tournament will occur during the Christmas and New Year period, instead of its usual summer or early-year slot. This change is due to FIFA's expansion of the Club World Cup to 32 teams, scheduled for 6-7/2025, which forced CAF to adjust the AFCON dates to avoid conflicts. The schedule change was also influenced by the European football calendar, as the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League season expanded with additional matches in late January.

Hong Duy