AFCON QUALIFIER: Cranes look to jump South Sudan hurdle

TODAY

Uganda vs South Sudan – MANDELA STADIUM, NAMBOOLE 7pm

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The last time Uganda Cranes shared an AFCON qualifying group with South Sudan was during the 2021 AFCON qualifiers. The two teams split the six points between them, with Uganda winning their home game and South Sudan defeating the Cranes in the return leg.

These results played a significant role in Uganda’s failure to qualify for AFCON at that time, despite a strong start to the campaign. The Cranes finished third with eight points, just two points behind the second-placed team, while South Sudan ended the qualifiers with only three points, all collected from Uganda.

Now, under the guidance of Belgian coach Paul Put, Uganda Cranes find themselves in a familiar situation. They will host South Sudan on Friday, October 11, 2024, before heading to Juba for the return leg on October 15. The Cranes are eyeing not just a win at home but also another maximum result away.

A victory for Uganda would lift them to seven points, putting them in control of Group K. Currently, Uganda is tied with South Africa at the top, both on four points, while South Sudan sits at the bottom with no points after two games.

“This is our time, we have to use it very well, because we need, and anything that comes into our way, we have to go for it,” Uganda Cranes forward Rogers Mato told the presser earlier after one of the training sessions at Namboole.

Captain Khalid Aucho has warned his teammates about complacency and asserted it is never easy in such games.

“Playing against neighbours is never easy and we do not expect South Sudan to roll a carpet for us. As players, we are cautious about being complacent and we will give in our best to make sure that victory is ours.”

South Sudan, on the other hand, will be keen to turn things around after suffering two consecutive losses. They will see Uganda, a more familiar opponent, as an opportunity to recover, having faced them four times in the past—with Uganda winning twice, drawing once, and losing once.

Uganda-South Sudan Connection

Interestingly, at least eight players from South Sudan’s 26-man squad, selected by coach Nichola Dupuis, have either played or are currently playing in Uganda’s StarTimes Premier League.

For instance, Atendele Mawa Geringa, Okocha Rashid, and Gadafi Wahab play for the National Enterprise Corporation Football Club, while Onekalit Francis represents SC Villa, both in the Ugandan league.

Others, like Tito Okello, Emmanuel Loki, Rashid Toha, and Alfred Leku, have also plied their trade for top Ugandan clubs such as Vipers, KCCA FC, Maroons, URA, and Proline.

Mato acknowledged that many players on the South Sudan team are personal friends of the Cranes squad. However, the former KCCA FC star was quick to point out that on the field, there will be no friendships, as Uganda is fully focused on securing their AFCON spot.

The Cranes last participated in the AFCON in 2019 under French coach Sébastien Desabre. In their most recent attempt, Uganda narrowly missed qualification by finishing third in their group, just one point behind runners-up Tanzania. Algeria topped the group with 16 points.

On paper, Uganda Cranes literally might have landed a fair group compared to the previous ones where they had to giants Algeria and neighbours Tanzania whose FIFA rankings have been improving over the years.

In this group, only South Africa was at the previous AFCON, and they too, were returning after missing out on the 2021, a scenario that perhaps supports Coach Put’s earlier assessment of the group as a fair one compared to the previous groups.

How Ready Are the Cranes?  

As of Tuesday, all 27 players called up last week had reported to camp in preparation for the clash against South Sudan. Mato emphasized that the team is fully ready for the challenge.

Midfielder Travis Mutyaba, who recently signed for French club Bordeaux, echoed similar confidence. He noted that every player summoned to the national team is determined to give their all, and he, alongside his teammates, is eager to make an impact.

The Cranes have already netted four goals in their last two matches of this qualifying campaign, with contributions from forwards Rogers Mato, Denis Omedi, Jude Ssemugabi, and left-back Aziiz Kayondo.

Coach Put, while summoning the team recalled KCCA FC center-forward Derrick Nsibambi and handed a first national team call-up to in-form KCCA FC forward Shafick Nana Kwikiriza.

These additions are intended to strengthen Uganda’s forward line, which has long been a concern for the team. The challenge for Coach Put now is how to manage a crowded forward line, which also includes Denis Omedi, Jude Ssemugabi, Rogers Mato, Steven Mukwala, and Calvin Kabuye.

***

URN

Share on: WhatsApp