By 
It was a tough night for the Uganda Cranes, who were handed a reality check by a well-drilled Algerian side that ran out 3-0 winners at a buzzing Nelson Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
In front of a packed home crowd, the hosts just couldn’t match the intensity, organisation, or sharpness of their North African visitors — who looked like a team on a mission from the first whistle.
The first 30 minutes were fairly balanced. Uganda had the crowd behind them and tried to press with energy, but Algeria slowly started to take control. Their passing was cleaner, their shape more structured, and their movement caused problems.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute. A corner swung in by Meziane found Ayoub Ghezala at the near post, and his glancing header snuck in past Joel Mutakubwa. It was a soft goal to concede, and it gave Algeria a deserved lead going into halftime.
Uganda came out stronger in the second half, with a bit more purpose, but they couldn’t turn possession into real chances. And when you leave yourself open against a team like Algeria, they punish you.
That’s exactly what happened in the 76th minute. Meziane, who had been lively throughout, doubled the lead with a calm finish after being set up neatly by Merbah. Then, just three minutes later, Soufiane Bayazid made it 3-0 with a simple finish after a flowing Algerian move.
Despite the result, Uganda weren’t completely toothless. Patrick Kakande and Joel Sserunjogi both had shots from distance that forced decent saves, and Gavin Kizito’s header around the hour mark came close.
Late substitutes like Yunus Sentamu and Reagan Mpande tried to lift the tempo, but Algeria’s backline was too solid and too smart to be broken down at that stage. By the time stoppage time came, Uganda were chasing shadows, and frustration started to boil over — highlighted by a late yellow card to Shafik Kwikiriza.
Algeria looked like a team that’s not here to participate — they’re here to win it all. Their structure, confidence, and ruthlessness were miles ahead of Uganda on the night.
For the Cranes, it’s a wake-up call. With Niger and South Africa still to come, there’s no more room for error. They’ll need to bounce back fast if they want to keep their dream of a first-ever knockout stage appearance alive.
