Cranes v Guinea: match preview

Sep 10, 2014

Nations Cup qualifier Uganda v Guinea Cranes earned every right to look pleased with themselves after plundering that remarkable 1-1 draw against Ghana last Saturday.

By Fred Kaweesi

Today, 7.30pm

Nations Cup qualifier Uganda v Guinea Cranes earned every right to look pleased with themselves after plundering that remarkable 1-1 draw against Ghana last Saturday.

And why not? Which team would match the Black Stars pound for pound at a fortress —the Baba Yara Stadium —where African giants Egypt collapsed to a 6-1 humiliation last year and wouldn’t feel the same?

The feeling now among Cranes’ faithful across the country is that the sky is the limit. And that considering that Cranes have not lost a game at Namboole Stadium since their 1-0 loss to South Africa in 2005, today’s fixture against Guinea should be a routine victory.

After all giants Nigeria, Ghana and Angola have all fallen here before.

No faint hearted

Now, if Cranes feel or think the same way, the wheels will come off against this resilient and experienced Guinea outfit. Today’s game against Guinea (not Guinea Bissau or Equatorial Guinea) will be no game for the fainthearted, complacency or prima donna performances.

For Cranes to earn a momentous win, the team will have to play out of their skins. They will need to approach this fixture with utmost respect and tactical diligence.

Not with the kind of laxity that saw lead striker Geoffrey Massa dropped for the game against Ghana -a game that Cranes could and should have won with the right mentality.

Unlike Ghana and Togo, Guinea is totally a different entity. They get men behind the ball, play a physical game and make it hard for the opposition to penetrate their defensive third.

They have never qualified for the World Cup but have immeasurable experience gathered from taking part in the Nations Cup from 1970, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1994, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2012. They made the quarterfinals between 2004 and 2008.

Guinea motivated

In Casablanca, first half goals from Soumah Seydouba and Idrissa Sylla inspired them to a 2-1 winning start to their campaign. And although they ended the game with ten men after Issiaga Sylla was sent off and will miss today’s game, they managed to hold on for a vital three points.

Against Togo, reports suggest they were the better side. They are bound to territorially dominate the game, meaning Cranes will have to showcase every bit of muscle to strike a counter-balance particularly in midfield and defence. That is not to say Guinea will find it easy against Cranes.

Key to preserving the team’s match-winning prospects will be Denis Onyango’s excellence back-four and a revitalised attack with the likely return of Massa.

Massa back

In Kumasi, Cranes clearly missed Massa. If (who knows) the South Africa based striker, for unclear reasons, had not been overlooked, the Cranes could have probably won. If Massa is considered, he might cause a few problems for the visitors.

The team’s central midfield spells itself, although Tony Mawejje and Geoffrey Kizito would add more value to the team with occasional shooting from a distance.

Luwagga Kizito, one of Cranes best players in Kumasi, and Moses Oloya will occupy the wide areas supported by full backs Denis Iguma and Godfrey Walusimbi.

All said, while Cranes must assume an attacking approach to the game, it will also be sensible to counterbalance that with a cautious strategy as in Ismail Bangoura, Guinea have an efficient striker.

Captain Kamil Zayatte, who turns out for English club Sheffield Wednesday, returns from suspension. In the other Group E game, Togo battle Ghana in Lome.

Guinea Line-up: Naby Yattara, Abdoulaye Cisse, Ibrahima Sory Bangoura, Kamil Zayatte, Baissama Sankoh, Boubacar Fofana, Naby Keita, Ibrahima Conte, Seydouba Soumah, Lass Bangoura, Idrissa Sylla.

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