Angola shoots down Uganda Cranes

Sep 04, 2011

UGANDA hopes of qualifying for next year’s Nations Cup with a game to spare were placed into a freezer after the Cranes collapsed to a 2-0 defeat against Angola in Luanda yesterday.

By Fred Kaweesi

Nations Cup qualifier result
Angola 2 Uganda 0


UGANDA hopes of qualifying for next year’s Nations Cup with a game to spare were placed into a freezer after the Cranes collapsed to a 2-0 defeat against Angola in Luanda yesterday.

Bobby Williamson’s side will now have to overcome Kenya in a do-or-die clash on October 8 in Kampala to secure their Nations Cup ticket.

Williamson had challenged his side to prove their metal on an intimidating stage and the Scot, along with the four Ugandan fans that travelled for the game, got their wish for the first 45 minutes of the match. Enter Amando Flavio after the break and everything changed.

Flavio lifted Angola’s mood and on the 56th minute Constanine Manucho headed home from close range to send 50,000 souls into ecstasy.

Then minutes later, the club-less Flavio got onto the score sheet with a neat finish, expertly built from a set-piece.
Flavio and Manucho have always been a straightforward puzzle for Ibrahim Sekagya and Co.

Not on this cold evening. The two strikers got all the goals as their visitors seemingly got all the cards instead.

The Cranes picked up five yellow cards, one of which rules out defender Andrew Mwesigwa from the next game.
But the Cranes don’t have the luxury of mourning this loss.

The best response is to ensure the team puts up a better display against Kenya than was witnessed here. The Cranes were not completely awful but they were not threatening either.

David Obua, so often the Cranes hero was a largely blunt presence as Uganda’s attack failed to make any serious impression.

Williamson, to his credit, did not hesitate to ring the changes once Uganda fell behind but none of Vicent Kayizi, Geoffrey Sserunkuuma and Hamis Kayizi made any damage after coming off the bench.

Instead the hosts, driven by the crowd, went on to strike the second blow and condemn Uganda to their first defeat of the campaign. But a win against Kenya (at Namboole) will make it all okay.

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