Williamson’s Uganda miss out

BOBBY Williamson’s Uganda missed out on qualifying for the African Cup of Nations finals for the first time since 1978 after a 0-0 draw with Kenya, who also missed out.

After Williamson’s Cranes led Group J for much of the qualifying, Angola’s 2-0 win in Guinea-Bissau snatched the finals spot. Williamson said afterwards he was devastated but would like to see out the rest of his contract to the 2014 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Libya tearfully celebrated probable qualification after a heroic defensive display forced a 0-0 draw in Zambia yesterday. But they had to wait for other results from later matches before being sure of their place in the 2012 tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Libya played all but one of their six-match qualifying programme away from the country after recent months’ turmoil forced them to play two “home” matches at neutral venues.

Their achievement is made even more remarkable by the fact their domestic league has been suspended since March, denying most of their national team players regular competitive action. The stalemate in Chingola also ensured Zambia finished top of Group C by a single point from the unbeaten Libyans. “We didn’t play that well but that doesn’t really matter. It is a historic day for us,” said Libya’s Brazilian coach Marcos Paqueta, who has stuck with the job despite no payment for the last six months.

Nigeria missed out on a place at the finals after a 2-2 home draw with Guinea. Guinea’s late equaliser in Abuja ensured they won Group B and relegated Nigeria to a growing list of high-profile absentees for the 2012 continental championship with fellow former champions Egypt and Cameroon also missing out, along with South Africa.