Cranes fail home test

Jan 14, 2001

Uganda fluffed the qualification basic of securing home ground points by drawing with Senegal on Saturday. Uganda's revival in the race for a berth in the Mali 2002 Nations Cup finals will now greatly depend on the performance of her rivals.

Okagbue leaves for holiday and eye operation in Nigeria By James Bakama and William muwonge Uganda fluffed the qualification basic of securing home ground points by drawing with Senegal on Saturday. Uganda's revival in the race for a berth in the Mali 2002 Nations Cup finals will now greatly depend on the performance of her rivals. Even this may be far fetched, if Cranes do not beat Togo in their remaining home game. The worst part of Cranes' survival equation might require the team to take on the seemingly impossible task of laying an away ambush. But all these calculations would be unnecessary if Cranes had been efficient on Saturday. For the superstitious, ill luck was evident as early as the tenth minute when Abubaker Tabula's penalty shot hit the woodwork. The likes of Hassan Mubiru and Hakim Magumba also had a fair share of missed chances. In all their attempts, it was evident that the duo lacked its usual flare. Their rust was understandable given that they joined camp late due to injuries. Cranes also paid dearly for having limited left wingers. The Tabula option could have possibly paid off, but the penalty miss seemed to haunt the former SC Villa player. Senegal was meanwhile running riot with playmaker Papa Sarr laying the killer passes for Pape Thiaw, who scored for Senegal, Fadiga Khalilou and Traore Amara. Ibrahim Sekajja was also misplaced at right fullback. It took coach Harrison Okagbue a very long time to realise that heavy Sekajja, who usually plays in central defence, should be substituted. Central defender George Ssemogerere was also off form. Sweeper Livingstone Mbabazi was equally shaky at the start, but later steadied to put up an impressive show both at the back and in the midfield. Cranes called the shots in the second half. But even this was not enough to rub Senegal's territorial advantage hence the comments by Senegal's French coach Bruno Metsu. "To dominate a match is not to win. We were better than Uganda in the first half but failed to wrap the game up," said Metsu. His counterpart Harrison Okagbue said his side put up a fight but was unlucky. Line-ups: Uganda- I. Mugisha, I. Sekajja (R. Malinga), P. Obwiny, G. Ssemogerere, L. Mbabazi, M. Nsubuga, W. Kyambadde, H. Magumba, A. Mukasa (M. Kaweesa), H. Mubiru, A.Tabula (T. Batabaire). Senegal- O. Diallo (D. Kalifa), C. Aliou, D. Lamine, D. Omar, D. Ousmane, N. Amadou, P. Sarr, F. Khalilou, M. Ndiaye( H. Camara), M. Traore(A. Camara), P. Thiaw. r CRANES' Nigerian coach Harrison Okagbue flew home yesterday for holiday, a period he will also use to treat his left eye. He returns on March 4 ahead of Cranes' Nations Cup game against Senegal. Eye specialists identified a scar on Okagbue's right eye. A Kampala firm Eye Care Centre had offered the coach free medical examination. Okagbue will in addition to treating his eye get a new set of lenses. Ends.

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