Uganda upset DR Congo 2-0 for rare Cup of Nations triumph

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 DR Congo's Chancel Mbemba heads the ball REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

CAIRO (Reuters) - Uganda won at the Africa Cup of Nations finals for the first time in more than 40 years as they upset the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-0 in their opening Group A match at the Cairo International Stadium on Saturday.

Both goals came from set-pieces as Patrick Kaddu headed home a 14th-minute corner and then Emmanuel Okwi got a touch onto a free kick just after halftime.

Uganda last won at the finals in 1978 when they beat Nigeria in the semi-finals and finished runners-up to hosts Ghana.

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 Uganda's Denis Onyango in action with DR Congo's Britt Assombalonga REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Saturday’s surprise win served notice of the potential of a team not given much chance of progressing past the first round.

Kaddu attacked the ball at the near post and got a sharp angle to his twisting header for the first goal.

He had a good chance to score a second, also with a header from a cross-field ball, just three minutes later but put it wide of the target as the Congolese defence was beaten again.

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 Uganda fans celebrate winning their match against DR Congo REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Uganda also shaved the crossbar with a shot from Farouk Miya four minutes from halftime while at the other end their goalkeeper Denis Onyango had his first save after 43 minutes when he stopped Cedric Bakambu’s effort.

Okwi’s goal came when he looped the ball over Congolese goalkeeper Ley Matampi with a flick-on.

Miya almost made it 3-0 in the 56th minute with a rasping shot that Matampi did well to save while Congolese substitute Jonathan Bolingi hit the Uganda crossbar with a 70th-minute header.

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 Uganda's Denis Onyango on the ground after sustaining an injury whilst Hassan Wasswa and Murshid Jjuko look on REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

The result is a setback for the languid-looking Congolese, who were semi-finalists in 2015 and quarter-finalists two years ago.

The match was played in soaring temperatures of over 30 degrees Celsius and in front of a largely empty stadium, in stark contrast to Friday’s opening game where some 70,000 fans packed into the iconic venue for the opening game of the tournament as hosts Egypt beat Zimbabwe 1-0.

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 Uganda's Denis Onyango after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; editing by Tony Lawrence)

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 DR Congo's Christian Luyindama in action with Uganda's Faruku Miya REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 Uganda's Lumala Abdu in action with DR Congo's Chancel Mbemba REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 Uganda's Patrick Kaddu scores their first goal REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 Uganda's Patrick Kaddu celebrates scoring their first goal with team mates REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 Uganda's Emmanuel Okwi celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 General view of DR Congo fans inside the stadium during the match REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 DR Congo's Jonathan Bolingi reacts REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations 2019 - Group A - DR Congo v Uganda - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 22, 2019 Uganda's Patrick Kaddu scores their first goal REUTERS/Suhaib Salem