In a match that will live long in the annals of African football absurdity, Uganda’s Cranes etched unwanted history at the TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 by becoming the first team to cycle through three different goalkeepers in a single game.
Facing Nigeria in their final Group stage clash on Wednesday, the Cranes’ defense imploded in spectacular fashion, culminating in a 1-3 defeat that highlighted the tournament’s ruthless unpredictability.
The drama unfolded early when Uganda’s veteran shot-stopper Dennis Onyango, a mainstay with over 100 caps, got injured early in the match and eventually limped off injured at half time.
Enter Jamal Salim, who stepped up confidently but lasted barely 15 minutes before a reckless challenge on a Nigerian forward//handling of the ball outside of 18 yard, earned him a straight red card.
With no specialist backups left on the bench, coach Paul Put had no choice but to hurl Alionz Nafian, who plays for Ethiopian league, into the fray. Nafian faced a barrage of pressure and conceded twice as Nigeria’s attackers, followed by clinical finishes from Raphael Onyedika, piled on the misery.
Uganda managed a lone consolation goal through Rogers Mato, but it was too little, too late in a game already defined for the side by chaos rather than quality.
This bizarre sequence not only sealed Uganda’s group-stage exit but also served as a stark reminder of AFCON’s high stakes, where one injury and one rash decision can rewrite history. Coach Put would obviously call the outing “a perfect storm,” while Nigerian boss Eric Chelle praises his side’s composure amid the ‘madness.’
As the Super Eagles advance, Uganda heads home with a tale no one will forget - proof that in tournament football, the net can mind itself, but goalkeepers? Not so much.
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