Cranes set for European friendly
Jun 29, 2011
CRANES boss Bobby Williamson is confident his team will reign over Kazakhstan when the two sides face-off in an international friendly on August 10.
By Swalley Kenyi and Salim Kassam
CRANES boss Bobby Williamson is confident his team will reign over Kazakhstan when the two sides face-off in an international friendly on August 10.
Soccer governing body FUFA yesterday confirmed that they had finalised negotiations with the Central Asian country to host Uganda Cranes at the Astana Arena.
Williamson later pointed that the friendly in Kazakhstan would help improve his side ahead their Group J Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Angola in Luanda on September 4.
Kazakhstan is ranked 126th in the latest FIFA rankings while Uganda moved seven places to 77th.
“Don’t mind about their FIFA rankings. It’s about the team you are going to play. Football standards in Europe are different and playing Kazakhstan away will add to our preparations against Angola in Luanda,†Williamson added.
Kazakhstan will be preparing for their Group A Euro 2012 qualifier against Turkey in the same month.
FUFA confirmed the trip after the Kazakhstan Football Association (KFA) wrote to them accepting to host the Cranes on the FIFA allocated dates. The two federations are also working out ways in which the hosts will facilitate travel arrangements for Uganda’s foreign based players.
“They have accepted to give us accommodation and local transport (in Kazakhstan) but we are still negotiating for air tickets,†FUFA chief executive Edgar Watson said in an interview yesterday.
Kazakhstan want to test themselves against one of Africa’s much improved sides and have requested FUFA to assemble a full strength Cranes team.
Cranes defender Andrew Mwesigwa, who plays in Kazakhstan pointed: “I have never seen them play but we must not underestimate them,†Mwesigwa stated.
CRANES boss Bobby Williamson is confident his team will reign over Kazakhstan when the two sides face-off in an international friendly on August 10.
Soccer governing body FUFA yesterday confirmed that they had finalised negotiations with the Central Asian country to host Uganda Cranes at the Astana Arena.
Williamson later pointed that the friendly in Kazakhstan would help improve his side ahead their Group J Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Angola in Luanda on September 4.
Kazakhstan is ranked 126th in the latest FIFA rankings while Uganda moved seven places to 77th.
“Don’t mind about their FIFA rankings. It’s about the team you are going to play. Football standards in Europe are different and playing Kazakhstan away will add to our preparations against Angola in Luanda,†Williamson added.
Kazakhstan will be preparing for their Group A Euro 2012 qualifier against Turkey in the same month.
FUFA confirmed the trip after the Kazakhstan Football Association (KFA) wrote to them accepting to host the Cranes on the FIFA allocated dates. The two federations are also working out ways in which the hosts will facilitate travel arrangements for Uganda’s foreign based players.
“They have accepted to give us accommodation and local transport (in Kazakhstan) but we are still negotiating for air tickets,†FUFA chief executive Edgar Watson said in an interview yesterday.
Kazakhstan want to test themselves against one of Africa’s much improved sides and have requested FUFA to assemble a full strength Cranes team.
Cranes defender Andrew Mwesigwa, who plays in Kazakhstan pointed: “I have never seen them play but we must not underestimate them,†Mwesigwa stated.