HARDLY any Ugandan could have anticipated a final reading on the scoreboard displaying Uganda 0 Kenya 0, or any other nature of result with the odds against today’s hosts, but here it is.
A goalless draw at Namboole Stadium against Kenya’s Harambee Stars has extinguished the vital hopes the Ugandan Cranes had in their Nations Cup campaign. A full 90 minutes of play in a full-to-capacity stadium has ended with no goals netted.
Even with the formidable team effort from a visibly dominating Cranes side, the thickly-bodied Kenyan side kept to their object and kept any balls from meeting their net.
Brian Umony proved to be ontop of his game after a year's absence from the Cranes team. He kept the Kenyan defense busy, especially in the first half of the game, never abandoning his cause.
The goalless draw throws Uganda out of further contention for the Nations Cup finals with Angola having beaten Guinea Bissau 2-0 earlier today. The win assures Angola qualification for the 2012 Nations Cup finals.
Uganda could have taken the ticket with a win at home to Kenya, but they were held to a 0-0 draw.
The Palancas Negras finished the group with 12 points, one more than Uganda.
Kenya finished on eight points, with Guinea Bissau bringing up the rear with just three.
Zambia qualified from Group B despite being held to a 0-0 draw by Libya in Chingola.
The Chipolopolo needed just a point to be certain of qualification, while their North African rivals needed victory to go through.
There was plenty of expectation build-up to the Group B match but in the end, the tie was a drab affair.
