Uganda battles Kenya CECAFA final
Jan 12, 2009
CRANES! This single word has come to sum up the very best of football in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup. As far as this 35th edition of the tournament is concerned, it has stood for artistry, inspiration and genius.
By Francis Kaweesi
ROAD TO CECAFA FINAL
Uganda (Group A)
Uganda 4 Rwanda 0
Uganda 0 Zanzibar 0
Somalia 0 Uganda 4
Tanzania 1 Uganda 2
Semi-finals
Uganda 5 Burundi 0
Kenya (Group B)
Sudan 0 Kenya 0
Kenya 0 Zambia 0
Kenya 5 Djibouti 1
Burundi 0 Kenya 1
Semi-finals
Kenya 2 Tanzania 1
Today, Final, 7pm, G Sports 1
Uganda v Kenya
Third place, 4pm
Tanzania v Burundi
CRANES! This single word has come to sum up the very best of football in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup. As far as this 35th edition of the tournament is concerned, it has stood for artistry, inspiration and genius.
It has been a combination of sublime individual skill and collective fluidity which has created a whole that has been both beautiful to watch and devastatingly successful.
With 15 goals scored and just one conceded, the Cranes march into today’s CECAFA final against Kenya convinced that the game, due to be watched by millions on global television GTV, will be their best chance of making it ten regional titles, and US$30,000 (sh58m) richer.
More than that, still, with the outstanding individual talents of Brian Umony, Geoffrey Massa and Tonny Mawejje orchestrating the team, there are also high expectations this Cranes side could produce more moments that will live on in football legend.
Football is about taking your opportunities, about performing on those decisive occasions throughout a career when the stakes can not be higher.
Today is one such occassion, when coach Bobby Williamson’s charges will be expected to make their success-starved nation proud and greatful for the qualities that have gotten them this far.
Cranes’ attacking brilliance has illuminated the tournament, but tonight they might have to win a game by defending.
They blew Burundi away with a sensational 5-0 semi-final display but Cranes know all too well that taking such an approach against Kenya would be akin to a greedy insect straying too close to a venus fly-trap.
Like all their predecessors, Kenyan coach Francis Kimanzi’s side has turned out to be the master of defend-and-counter-attack.
If the Cranes make one mistake in the footballing cathedral that is Namboole, they will certainly run the risk of being caught out. Williamson has stressed that message over the past 24 hours and hopefully it will not be ignored.
They will have to fall back to their old strengths that have gotten them this far — that is their togetherness and the desire to accept the ball in the tightest of situations. More so, with colleagues always making space to help out that has made them to appear to be playing football from a different planet.
Since the necessary changes were done to the side’s midfield after the games against Rwanda and Zanzibar with players finally being deployed in their right positions, the Cranes have moved and scored as a pack and it has worked.
Umony—Massa attack
There has been so much to admire in the attacking artist that is Umony. That semi-final moment against Burundi, for instance, when he cut inside, leaving three defenders as static as traffics cones, before scoring.
Win or lose tonight, Umony, joint-top scorer with four goals and expected to lead Cranes’ attack alongside Geoffrey Massa, will always be remembered as one of the true icons of Ugandan football. He has proved a natural-born footballer with skills that are impossible to teach.
Sportsmen enjoy golden periods during their careers and this is Umony’s time. He spelt it out when he said: “There is added pressure because we are the hosts. But our time has come and we need to deliver. To play at the highest level you have to be able to cope with the pressure.â€
Williamson fully expects the final to be tight and tense and promised his side would try to impose their style from the start.
The Kenyans have had to be admired as well —still here after the so-called big footballing countries like Zambia and Sudan have gone home.
The concentration levels of Cranes’ back-four will have to be higher than ever if they are to avoid falling foul of sucker-punches delivered by tournament joint-top scorer and Kenya’s lead striker Francis Ouma.
Ouma and Mike Baraza have combined superbly with Baraza creating the chances and Ouma greedily converting them.
Osborne Monday has had an excellent tournament in midfield while Joseph Njuguna and Fredrick Ojuang have been a growing menace on the flanks.
Williamson’s plan will have to highlight the menace of the three with no room for either to dictate the tempo of the match.
If Owen Kasule, who returns from suspension, and Mawejje can break up their opponent’s passing game — which they can — then Bengo and Kayizzi, who are often a liability without the ball, will have the skill to take the creative initiative.
Kenya’s other weakness is pace and with Massa, enjoying a good run, Cranes could sneak an early surprise.
Williamson will impress on his men the need to test the Harambee Stars’ endurance levels.
Cash pledges
Kenya Football Federation (KFF) chairman Sam Nyamweya has already promised Harambee Stars Ksh250,000 (sh5.75m) each if they beat Cranes while FUFA boss Lawrence Mulin
dwa earlier pledged a massive share of the sh58m prize money if they win the Cup.
ROAD TO CECAFA FINAL
Uganda (Group A)
Uganda 4 Rwanda 0
Uganda 0 Zanzibar 0
Somalia 0 Uganda 4
Tanzania 1 Uganda 2
Semi-finals
Uganda 5 Burundi 0
Kenya (Group B)
Sudan 0 Kenya 0
Kenya 0 Zambia 0
Kenya 5 Djibouti 1
Burundi 0 Kenya 1
Semi-finals
Kenya 2 Tanzania 1
Today, Final, 7pm, G Sports 1
Uganda v Kenya
Third place, 4pm
Tanzania v Burundi
CRANES! This single word has come to sum up the very best of football in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup. As far as this 35th edition of the tournament is concerned, it has stood for artistry, inspiration and genius.
It has been a combination of sublime individual skill and collective fluidity which has created a whole that has been both beautiful to watch and devastatingly successful.
With 15 goals scored and just one conceded, the Cranes march into today’s CECAFA final against Kenya convinced that the game, due to be watched by millions on global television GTV, will be their best chance of making it ten regional titles, and US$30,000 (sh58m) richer.
More than that, still, with the outstanding individual talents of Brian Umony, Geoffrey Massa and Tonny Mawejje orchestrating the team, there are also high expectations this Cranes side could produce more moments that will live on in football legend.
Football is about taking your opportunities, about performing on those decisive occasions throughout a career when the stakes can not be higher.
Today is one such occassion, when coach Bobby Williamson’s charges will be expected to make their success-starved nation proud and greatful for the qualities that have gotten them this far.
Cranes’ attacking brilliance has illuminated the tournament, but tonight they might have to win a game by defending.
They blew Burundi away with a sensational 5-0 semi-final display but Cranes know all too well that taking such an approach against Kenya would be akin to a greedy insect straying too close to a venus fly-trap.
Like all their predecessors, Kenyan coach Francis Kimanzi’s side has turned out to be the master of defend-and-counter-attack.
If the Cranes make one mistake in the footballing cathedral that is Namboole, they will certainly run the risk of being caught out. Williamson has stressed that message over the past 24 hours and hopefully it will not be ignored.
They will have to fall back to their old strengths that have gotten them this far — that is their togetherness and the desire to accept the ball in the tightest of situations. More so, with colleagues always making space to help out that has made them to appear to be playing football from a different planet.
Since the necessary changes were done to the side’s midfield after the games against Rwanda and Zanzibar with players finally being deployed in their right positions, the Cranes have moved and scored as a pack and it has worked.
Umony—Massa attack
There has been so much to admire in the attacking artist that is Umony. That semi-final moment against Burundi, for instance, when he cut inside, leaving three defenders as static as traffics cones, before scoring.
Win or lose tonight, Umony, joint-top scorer with four goals and expected to lead Cranes’ attack alongside Geoffrey Massa, will always be remembered as one of the true icons of Ugandan football. He has proved a natural-born footballer with skills that are impossible to teach.
Sportsmen enjoy golden periods during their careers and this is Umony’s time. He spelt it out when he said: “There is added pressure because we are the hosts. But our time has come and we need to deliver. To play at the highest level you have to be able to cope with the pressure.â€
Williamson fully expects the final to be tight and tense and promised his side would try to impose their style from the start.
The Kenyans have had to be admired as well —still here after the so-called big footballing countries like Zambia and Sudan have gone home.
The concentration levels of Cranes’ back-four will have to be higher than ever if they are to avoid falling foul of sucker-punches delivered by tournament joint-top scorer and Kenya’s lead striker Francis Ouma.
Ouma and Mike Baraza have combined superbly with Baraza creating the chances and Ouma greedily converting them.
Osborne Monday has had an excellent tournament in midfield while Joseph Njuguna and Fredrick Ojuang have been a growing menace on the flanks.
Williamson’s plan will have to highlight the menace of the three with no room for either to dictate the tempo of the match.
If Owen Kasule, who returns from suspension, and Mawejje can break up their opponent’s passing game — which they can — then Bengo and Kayizzi, who are often a liability without the ball, will have the skill to take the creative initiative.
Kenya’s other weakness is pace and with Massa, enjoying a good run, Cranes could sneak an early surprise.
Williamson will impress on his men the need to test the Harambee Stars’ endurance levels.
Cash pledges
Kenya Football Federation (KFF) chairman Sam Nyamweya has already promised Harambee Stars Ksh250,000 (sh5.75m) each if they beat Cranes while FUFA boss Lawrence Mulin
dwa earlier pledged a massive share of the sh58m prize money if they win the Cup.