Despite exiting the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations at an early stage, a section of Ugandan fans gave the Uganda Cranes a heroic welcome on return from Gabon.

The Cranes finished 4th in their group with just a single point and goal after losses to Ghana and Egypt and a stalemate with Mali in Group D.

The contingent that had among others the FUFA president Moses Magogo and the 23 players touched base at Entebbe International Airport on Friday 1.40am aboard Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 craft.

They were received by the FUFA CEO Edgar Watson and the first Vice President Justus Mugisha on arrival as hundreds of fans waited outside the arrival lounge.

The fans were carrying pictures of each of the 23 squad members and the technical team with wordings “Abaana baasambye’.

“It’s a delight to see the fans give us such a welcome,” said left back Godfrey Walusimbi. “I hope we gave them better but good they realised our effort,” he added.

Joseph Ochaya, one of Uganda’s best players at the tournament wondered. “This is awesome. What if we had reached the last eight!