Uganda Hippos eliminate Congo Brazzaville to storm African Games final

Uganda U-20 football team, Hippos have qualified for the final at the on-going 13^th Edition of the African Games.

The Hippos fought from two goals down in the first half to recover and beat Congo Brazzaville 4-2 in the first semi-final match played at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana on Tuesday evening.

After only 15 minutes Servyl Akouala gave Congo Brazzaville the lead from a well taken free-kick, and Mignon Koto made it 2-0 at the stroke of half time moments after goalkeeper Shamulan Kamya had been stretched off injured.

But after a lot of pep talk by the head coach Morley Byekwaso Ochama, the Hippos came back from the dressing room a different side full of hunger to win.  After 60 minutes Abasi Kyeyune pulled back one goal for the charged Hippos.

In a space of three minutes Bruno Bunyaga netted two crucial goals with the second coming after 70 minutes, and he added his name on the score sheet three minutes later.

Substitute Hakim Mutebi made it 4-2 for Uganda Hippos after 81 minutes with a well taken hard shot from outside the box that the Congo Brazzaville goalkeeper fumbled to save but tapped it into the net.

Uganda’s coach thanked God for the win. “We started the match and did not concentrate well. But we returned and played better,” said Ochama.

The Hippos will now face hosts Ghana in the final on Friday. Ghana defeated Senegal 1-0 in the second semi-final played on Tuesday.

The Uganda Hippos started their campaign in the group stage with a 2-1 win against Nigeria, and stopped Ghana and South Sudan by a similar 1-0 score line.