CHAN: Cranes set for Morocco

By Kenneth Muwanga in Cape Town

Monday fixtures
Morocco       vs       Uganda – Cape Town Stadium  at 8pm
Zimbabwe    vs       Bukina Faso – Athlone Stadium 8pm

“Tunyige Tunyige”.  These were coach Micho Sredojevic’s phrases during Uganda’s one hour training session at Cape Town stadium on Saturday.

The local dialect (Luganda) words the Serbian kept shouting to his players meant ‘Press Press’.

To Micho, the Cranes will have to learn how to press if they hope to overcome Morocco in tomorrow’s Group B decisive fixture against Morocco.

He emphasised the need to close spaces which is what Cranes will need to frustrate Morroco’s mercurial midfielders. The Atlas lions rely on speed, pace and long passes and the only way Uganda will survive is by pressing them down in their own half.

On the evidence of the sessions on Saturday, Said Kyeyune, who has yet to start a game for the team here, could play a crucial part alongside Hassan Wasswa , Denis Guma and Ivan Ntege to patrol the midfield.

Nicholas Wadada is likely to start at right full back ahead of Ntambi Julius who has been a starter in last two games with Brian Majwega as the only wide midfielder.

Micho is yet to decide who will lead the Cranes attack among Crespo Asiku, Simeon Okwi and Olaki Francis as Yunus Ssentamu, Uganda’s goal hero against Bukina Faso is still struggling with a knock he suffered in the last game against Zimbabwe.

Micho said at Cape Town Stadium after the training session that: “I am glad we have come this far but for now we are hungry Lions and we shall not take anything for granted. We need to get the prey for ourselves. We shall not just defend but play normal football and later decide as the game progress”

Uganda needs a win or a draw to confirm their place in the quarter finals irrespective of the results from the other encounter between Zimbabwe and Bukina Faso.

Cranes in intensive training (PHOTOGRAPHER: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

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Probable Line-ups

Uganda
Benajamin Ochan,Nichoals Wadada,Muleme Isaac,Kasaga Richard, Savio Kabugo,Hassan Wasswa, Ivan Ntege, Denis Guma, Said Kyeyune, Brian Majwega, Yunusu Ssentamu.

Morocco
Nadir Lumyaghri,  Zakaria El Hachimi, Mohamed Abarhoun, Brahim El Bahri, Fatah Said, Mohsine Moutaoali Amf,  Abdessamad Rafik, Mohamed Oulhaj, Issam Erriki, Abdelkbir El Ouadi, Adil Sassa