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Wayne Rooney

Uganda ended an almost four decade wait for a place in the African Nations Cup finals as Farouk Miya’s goal secured a 1-0 win over the Comoros Islands while Bafana Bafana bowed out with whimper.
Uganda finished second behind Burkina Faso in their group but took one of the two places reserved for the runners-up in the 13 qualifying groups for next year’s tournament.

They last played at the Nations Cup in 1978 when they were beaten in the final by hosts Ghana.

A last-minute winner from Banou Diawara ensured Burkina topped Group D with a 2-1 home                                                                              victory over nine-man Botswana as they tottered on the brink of elimination.

Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo and Tunisia filled the other three berths decided on the last day of the qualifiers.

Ten teams had already booked places after the penultimate round of matches in June and holders Cote d’Ivoire were the 11th to qualify with a 1-1 draw at home to Sierra Leone on Saturday.

Togo were the other country to take a runners-up berth, edging out Benin and Ethiopia, who also finished on 11 points.

A 5-0 home win over Djibouti on Sunday ensured Togo had them better goal difference despite Emmanuel Adebayor missing a penalty.

Adam Lallana scored with the last kick of the match as England edged 10-man Slovakia 1-0 in Sam Allardyce’s first game as                       manager in World Cup qualifying on Sunday.

Despite Slovakia having Martin Skrtel sent off in the 57th minute, Allardyce looked set to become the first England manager since Bobby Robson in 1982 not to win his first game in charge.

But in the fifth minute of stoppage time in Trnava, Liverpool midfielder  Lallana squeezed a shot between Slovakia goalkeeper Matus Kozacik’s legs to get England up and running in Group F.

Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney became England’s most capped outfield player when he was awarded his 116th cap by new manager Sam Allardyce in Sunday’s opening 2018 World Cup qualifier away to Slovakia.

Team captain Rooney, (30), surpasses his  former England team-mate David Beckham, who was capped 115 times by his country. Goalkeeper Peter Shilton, capped 125 times, holds the overall record.

SuperSport United were the only local club in action during this international week. They entertained the Nedbank Ke Yona Team at Sinaba Stadium and found the going a bit tough.

“Ultimately their emerged 1-0 victors with a goal from captain Mario Booysen but coach Stuart Baxter will have a lot to worry about looking at his attack.

“I think the boys did well. We were all over this team but we only went on to again concede a silly goal. The goal they scored – the man runs all the way from half-way up to finishing up. They scored a goal like this when we played in Mauritania.” – Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim Mashaba’s assessment of the 1-1 draw against Mauritania.

“This is the most decorated outfield player in England. He’s won everything at Man United, more or less, and at Champions League and domestic level.

“He holds a lot more experience at international football than me as an international manager. So using his experience with a team, and playing as a team member, it’s not for me to say where he’s going to play.” – England manager Sam Allardyce on Wayne Rooney’s role in the team.— Supersport.