Emmanuel Okwi goal cancels by Khama Billiat as Zimbabwe held Uganda 1-1 in the Group A encounter at the Cairo International Stadium on Wednesday night.
Coming from a 2-0 win over Congo in their first match as the Crane were seemed in be motivated in the early exchanges of the game against a determined Warriors which lost their first match by a solitary goal to hosts Egypt.
Uganda started the match well, on the right foot and took the lead after just 12 minutes of play through Simba forward whose strike with his right foot beat George Chigova from close range.
However, Billiat leveled the score for Zimbabwe five minutes from half time after a foul was committed on the left side of the box of Uganda as the ball was delivered to the left wing which met Ovidy Karuru on the run, he squared the ball to Kaizer Chiefs midfielder who put the ball past Dennis Onyango.
Zimbabwe’s Knowledge Musona and Uganda’s Patrick Kaddu both missed glorious chances to get a winning goal.
Musona hit the crossbar when faced with an open goal from only four yards out and then, after Zimbabwe’s Evans Rusike had a shot saved on the goalline, Kaddu volleyed over from six yards with the goal empty.
Zimbabwe, who were aiming for only their third win at a Cup of Nations finals, now have to beat DR Congo in their final group match on Sunday to have a chance of making it out of the group phase for the first time.
Uganda top the group with four points from two games, but will be overtaken by Egypt if the hosts beat DR Congo later on Wednesday.
Uganda 1-1 Zimbabwe: Okwi goal cancels by Billiat
