By Joseph Opio
and Swalley Kenyi

World cup qualifiers
May 31
Uganda v Niger
June 7
Benin v Uganda
June 14
Uganda v Angola
June 21
Angola v Uganda
September 6
Niger v Uganda
October 11
Uganda v Benin

THE fixture computer yesterday conspired to grant Laszlo Csaba an early Christmas present after it dictated that the Uganda Cranes will open their World Cup qualifiers with a home match against Group 3 punch-bags, Niger.

The ‘charmed’’ fixture-list will undoubtedly permit the Cranes to build-up critical momentum before they face their two principal threats, Angola and Benin.

The expected win against Niger will play a morale-raising role — especially as the Cranes thereafter travel to Porto Novo to engage Ghana ‘08 finalists, Benin.

Depending on how Benin fare in their opening qualifier away to Angola, Uganda could travel to Porto Novo on top of Group 3 — with at least one of its main rivals having lost precious points.

Uganda will have to either lead their group or be among the eight best-placed runners-up to progress to the next round.
The luck of the fixtures notwithstanding, the local soccer federation has revealed its reservations about the congested ties.
Uganda will play four of their seven qualifiers within four weeks next year.

“We can’t play four matches in a month unless they tell us all matches in Europe (where some Cranes professionals play) are all called off to allow the players a holiday,” FUFA chief Lawrence Mulindwa lamented.

But FIFA seems to have congested the fixture deliberately to take advantage of the summer season when European clubs will all be out of action — as Euro 2008 takes centre-stage.