Mawejje, Mudde v Luis Mendes

CRANES' match-winning prospects in Guinea Bissau this Saturday will largely depend on whether Tony Mawejje and Mudde Musa can stifle Guinea Bissau’s diamond midfield.

CRANES' match-winning prospects in Guinea Bissau this Saturday will largely depend on whether Tony Mawejje and Mudde Musa can stifle Guinea Bissau’s diamond midfield.

The club’s impressive start to the 2012 Nations Cup qualifiers might have owed much to the spirited performances of attacking players led by David Obua and a resilient back four.

Yet while two areas will still be crucial for this away assignment, the team’s fate will just as well be decided by how well the team’s two conventional midfielders perform against the hosts four-man midfield littered with attack-minded players such as Luis Mendes Lopez (Sporting), Bocundji Ca (Tours), Ednilson (Dinamo) and Cicero Semedo, who plays for Portuguese side Rio Ave.
Cicero is the heart and sould that engineers all Guinea Bissau’s attacking play.

He is one reason Mawejje and Mudde Musa will have to be at their best to support Cranes’ counter-attacking game.

Although Cranes are blessed with exceptional full-backs, the team’s two anchors (Mudde and Mawejje) will have to be just as mobile.

Like was the case against Angola, Mawejje will besides attempting to shoot from yards, have to hand attacking team-mates the space to run in behind Guinea Bissau defenders.

Compiled by Fred Kaweesi