DR Congo v Uganda: Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - as it happened

Uganda’s Patrick Kaddu celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates.

 DR Congo 0-2 Uganda


The Cranes are off to a flier thanks to a thoroughly deserved victory, their first at the Africa Cup of Nations for 41 years! They were the better team in all departments - more organised, more dynamic, smarter and sharper. Kaddu and Okwi scored the goal from setpieces but Uganda were also dominant in open play. This was an impressive performance and sets them up nicely for possible progression to the next round. DR Congo were frankly dreadful.

Updates and starts

12.21 pm
90+1 min: Wait? actually, Uganda are trying to increase their lead. They cut through Congo’s ragged midfield again before slipping in Muleme, whose shot on the run whizzes over.

12.19 pm
90 min: Uganda will have to wait at least three more minutes before they can celebrate.

12.18 pm
88 min: Juuko and Muleme join forces to dispossess Elia on the left wing.

12.16 pm
Uganda substitution: Awany on, Miya off.

12.15 pm
86 min: Assombalonga wins a foul about 40 yards out.The freekick is curled into the area but Wasswa nods it back out.

12.14 pm
84 min: Lovely footwork again in midfield by Miya. He has been my man of the match today. Like his teammates he has worked tirelessly, and also been very nimble in possession and a precise and clever distributor of the ball.

12.12 pm
83 min: Elia dinks in a teasing cross from the left. Onyango rises high above Assombalonga to make a safe catch.

Uganda’s keeper Denis Onyango beats Congo’s Britt Assombalonga and Cedric Bakambu to the ball.

Uganda substitution: Muleme on, Lumala off.

12.09 pm
79 min: As Lumala is carried off the pitch on a stretcher after a heavy fall following a challenge with Bolingi, Azira rushes up to the referee to ask how much time is remaining. Uganda are close to their first victory in this tournament for 41 years ...

12.06 pm
77 min: Okwi receives the ball mid-way inside the Congolese half and is allowed to turn and jog towards the box. When a defender eventually comes to confront him, Okwi sidesteps him easily .... and then tonks the ball way over the bar.

12.05 pm
Uganda substitution: Kyambaddde on, Kaddu off after a fine performance.

12.03 pm
74 min: Bakambu - hugely disappointing so far - miscontrols in the Congolese box, allowing Wasswa to hammer the ball clear.

12.02 pm
71 min: The excellent Kaddu works back to nick the ball off Masuaku: Uganda’s dynamism has been in stark contrast to the sluggishness of Dr Congo all day, and no one has encapsulated it better than Kaddu.

12.00 pm
DR Congo substitution: Assombolanga on, Bolasie off after making no impact.

11.59 am
70 min: Elia clips a decent cross into the area. It headed back out. But Bopé hooks it back in, and Bolingi nods it over the keeper ... and on to the crossbar!

11.57 am
68 min: Lumala hurtles down the right, leaving Masuaku panting in his wake. Then he delivers a nicely aimed cross. Kaddu gets to it first ... but doesn’t make a true connection, scuffing the ball wide from seven yards!

11.55 am
66 min: Kaddu finds space again in the Congolese box and chests the ball back for Okwi, who cracks a half-volley against the post!

11.54 am
64 min: Elia drops his shoulder and darts in-field from the left wing, then unloads a shot that takes a deflection. Bolinghi stretches out a leg in a bid to turn it into the net but the keeper snaffles the ball first and cops a bang of Bolingi’s boot. No real harm done, though.

11.52 am
DR Congo substitution: Maghoma on, Mbemba off.

11.51 am
63 min: Bopé gives away yet another freekick. presenting Uganda with a shooting opportunity from about 25 yards. The freekick is almost bang centre. Miya curls it over the wall but into the arms of Matampi.

11.50 am
61 min: Okwi cuts in from the right wing and tries to arrow a shot into the far corner. But instead he finds an empty seat in the stands. Which isn’t hard considering about 95% of them are empty.

11.48 am
59 min: Uganda have to do a bit of serious defending for the first time in the second half. And they don’t do it particularly well, as Bope is left free to meet a delivery from Bolasie from the right. But Bope’s header is even worse than the defending, as he misses the target by about six yards.

Uganda’s defender Bevis Mugabi (left) fights for the ball with Congo’s forward Jonathan Bolingi.

11.46 am
56 min: Miya sends a superb dipping freekick from 30 yards towards the top corner ... but Mutampi keeps his eye on it and backpedals to tip it over the bar.

11.45 am
54 min: DR Congo can’t string two passes together at the moment. It’s as if they’re frazzled by Uganda’s relative strength and slickness.

11.44 am
53 min: Bope booked for flicking out a foot at Miya in midfield. Pure frustration. DR Congo look off the pace and ragged.

11.41 am
DR Congo substitution: Bolingi on, M’Poku off.

11.41 am
50 min: We knew beforehand that Uganda were dangerous from setpieces and both their goals have come from them (the first from a corner, the second a freekick). But the fact is they have also been the far superior team in open play. If it carries on like this, they are not only going to win this match, they are going to do so emphatically.

11.39 am
GOAL! DR Congo 0-2 Uganda (Okwi 47)

Having been fouled for the freekick, Okwi takes his revenge by sending a superb back header into the net from 12 yards. The delivery from Miya was beautiful, inviting Okwi to guide it into the net, which he did perfectly. As for DR Congo’s defenders, they were mere spectators.

Emmanuel Okwi wheels away in celebration after doubling Uganda’s lead.

11.37 am
47 min: Congo remain second to the ball all over the pitch. And a slovenly tackle by Issama on Okwi gives Uganda a freekick on the left wing. Danger here ...

11.35 am
46 min: Dr Congo restart the game, but have they rebooted their system during the break? They need a drastic improvement to get the better of Uganda now.

11.22 am
Half-time: DR Congo 0-1 Uganda

It’s been an excellent half from the underdogs, who fully deserve to be in front. In fact, they may be disappointed not to have a bigger lead - they have been by far the sharper and more coherent team, dominant in midfield and, with Kaddu, have an attacker whose movement is causing regular problems. Before this game DR Congo talked about winning this tournament but they’re heading for an embarrassing defeat if they don’t buck up their ideas.

11.18 am
45+2 min: DR Congo scramble a corner away as Mugabi threatened to turn it into the net from close range.

11.18 am
45+1 min: Bolasie latches on to a long clearance from the back. As he tries to wriggle into a shooting position at the edge of the box, he’s clattered by Juuku. But the referee spots the Bolasie was going down before being hit so books him for diving.