Reactions poured in after Uganda’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign came to an abrupt end following a 3-1 defeat to Nigeria, with players admitting that desperation and costly errors proved decisive.
Uganda goalkeeper Denis Onyango was frank in his assessment, conceding that his side’s urgency played into the hands of the Super Eagles. The Cranes needed a win to stay alive in the competition, but Nigeria’s composure told as the pressure mounted.
“We were desperate for goals, and Nigeria punished us,” Onyango said during his post-match interview. “They are a quality side.”
Nigeria, led by coach Eric Chelle, made their dominance count through a brace from Raphael Onyedika and a goal from Paul Onuachu, a result that confirmed Uganda’s elimination from the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
Another emotional reaction came from Uganda striker Uche Ikpeazu, whose personal ties added extra weight to the fixture. Born to a Nigerian father and Ugandan mother, the forward had hoped to inspire the Cranes against his father’s homeland.
Instead, the St. Johnstone player was left reflecting on lessons learned and looking ahead.
“I will be supporting Nigeria to lift the AFCON. Uganda is a great national team, much respect to them,” Ikpeazu said.
“The quality showed, and I think at times some of the goals we conceded are mistakes, but it’s a learning curve.
“We are a very young group; we will learn, and we can do better. I tried my best, and that is the most important thing.”
As Uganda bow out, attention now shifts to the remaining Group fixtures across the tournament, with Ivory Coast set to face Gabon, Mozambique taking on Cameroon, Sudan meeting Burkina Faso, and Algeria squaring off against Equatorial Guinea.
