Uganda Cranes holds Angola

 

 

Angola 1 Uganda 1

 

Senegal 3 Liberia 1

 

There is no sport as straightforward as football. Score your goal-bound opportunities and you’ll secure a result.It’s that simple, especially if creating chances is not your staple diet.

 

Emmanuel Okwi wasted several chances but converted one that provided a timely redemption and with it a great start to the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign.

 

The Ugandan forward calmly slotted home on 87 minutes for a historic 1-1 draw in Luanda after brilliant sped work from Moses Oloya down the right.

 

Okwi, who despite the effort was still full of apologies for his previous missed opportunities, promised to make up for the missed opportunities this Saturday when African giants Senegal visit for yet another explosive fixture.

 

“I am delighted to have scored that goal. It meant the world to me. We had worked a lot as a team and deserved to get something from the game,” a tearful Okwi stated.

 

Porto midfielder Djalma Campos had earned the hosts an early lead on the first time of asking.

 

Djalma calmly slotted home on 7 minutes after Matues Galiano’s well-placed cross down the right caught Cranes back-four flat-footed.

 

The stage was then laid for Okwi on 15 minutes. Hassan Wasswa surprised all and probably himself too after staging a brilliant run over 20 yards and all Okwi had to do was connect his well-weighted ball.

  

From one of several Cranes attacks after a switch from a 4-2-2-2 formation to a traditional 4-4-2, Okwi eventually silenced the 40,000 crowd.

 

He peeled off down the left before slamming the ball past Angola goalkeeper Adilson Cipriano.

 

Against Senegal, the temptation to be cautious will be there but sometimes you can be too cautious and play straight into the hands of the opposition –especially if that side is Senegal, whose style of play is attack and attack.

 

Onyango was part of Cranes’ back-four that only conceded twice in the entire 2012 Nations Cup qualifying campaign.

 

Apart from his team’s impressive showing on Sunday, Onyango’s belief stems from the fact that Cranes have claimed several scalps before at Namboole that include Nigeria and Ghana. “We have a few days to do all the necessary homework. The good thing is we know what to expect. Bring them on. The spirits are high,” Onyango added.

 

Senegal launched their world cup qualifying campaign with an emphatic 3-1 win over Liberia.

 

Although Cisse was not among the scorers, the African giants will continue to rely on him. But not that Onyango is bothered.

 

“I know what he can do but we will try to play well as a team to try and deny him the opportunity of shooting on goal.

 

“He has scored some special goals in the Premiership and you have to give him (Cisse) credit,” said Onyango

 

 Cranes team:

 

D.Onyango, S.Masaba, G.Walusimbi, A.Mwesigwa, H.Kalungi, H.Wasswa, J.Bagoole, P.Ochan, M.Serumaga, E.Okwi, M.Mutumba.