Football
Andrew Oryada, Special to ESPN 5y

Okwi desperate to make amends for AFCON snub

Uganda hero Emmanuel Okwi is determined to fire the Cranes to the Africa Cup of Nations after missing out on the 2017 tournament.

The forward netted twice on Saturday as Lesotho were defeated 3-0 at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, a win which takes Uganda one step closer to next summer's showpiece in Cameroon.

Having missed out on the trip to Gabon - as Uganda ended their 39-year wait for an appearance at Africa's top table - Okwi is determined to make up for lost time.

"I am hungry to be at the 2019 AFCON," he told KweséESPN. "After failing to make the squad for the AFCON in Gabon last year, I am very hungry to do all it takes to help the team qualify so that I don't miss out this time round.

"Of course, for any striker, coming into a second game after scoring two goals a few days ago is a big boost.

"I will continue to work hard so that I can deliver the goals that will send us to the Africa Cup of Nations."

The Simba SC forward is no stranger to performing heroics for Uganda, having famously scored the only goal of the game as they dispatched Egypt during the qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup

"The morale in the team is really very high," he concluded. "Most of the players in the squad did not play at the 2017 AFCON and are now very eager to work hard and be there."

Tanzania and Cape Verde meet in Dar es Salaam in Tuesday's other Group L fixture.

Uganda took one point from their three group games in Gabon 18 months ago, their first finals appearance since they finished runners-up in Ghana in 1978.

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