Striking dilemma
Jun 03, 2005
CRANES tactician Mohammad Abbas will hurriedly try to strike an understanding among his forwards when he takes his team through final drills at Kamanyola Stadium today.
By Fred Kaweesi
and reuters
Today
WC Group 2 qualifier
C.Verde v South Africa SS3
Sunday
DR Congo v Uganda
Rwanda v Nigeria SS3
CRANES tactician Mohammad Abbas will hurriedly try to strike an understanding among his forwards when he takes his team through final drills at Kamanyola Stadium today.
In the absence of Geoffrey Sserunkuma and Robert Ssentongo, Abbas will only hope an eleventh hour attacking combination between debutante Robert Sejemba and Hassan Mubiru that has been forced on him by FUFA, clicks.
FUFA boss Dr James Sekajugo ignored Abbas’ choice of players to travel to Kinshasa, forcing the Egyptian tactician to adjust to suit his game against a DR Congo team expected to field professionals Lomana Lua Lua and Shaban Nonda.
Elsewhere on the continent, Morocco and Ivory Coast are fancied to inch closer to qualification for the 2006 World Cup finals after the completion of the weekend’s full programme of qualifiers.
The winners of the five groups qualify automatically for the finals.
Morocco’s three-point lead in Group Five should continue after a home match in Rabat against Malawi, who have yet to win a game in the group phase.
Malawi conceded seven goals in nearby Tunisia. Of all the group leaders, South Africa has the most perilous of trips, facing the Cape Verde in west Africa.
Standings
Group 1 P W D L F A Pts
Togo 6 4 1 1 8 3 13
Zambia 6 4 1 1 8 4 13
Senegal 6 4 1 1 15 6 13
Congo 6 2 0 4 6 9 6
Liberia 6 1 1 4 2 13 4
Mali 6 0 2 4 4 8 2
Group 2
South Africa 6 4 0 2 7 6 12
Cape Verde 6 3 1 2 6 5 10
Ghana 6 2 3 1 7 3 9
DR Congo 6 2 3 1 6 5 9
B.Faso 6 2 0 4 6 8 6
Uganda 6 1 1 4 3 7 4
Group 3
Ivory Coast 6 5 0 1 13 3 15
Cameroon 6 3 2 1 9 6 11
Egypt 6 3 1 2 15 10 10
Libya 6 3 1 2 8 8 10
Benin 6 0 2 4 6 14 2
Sudan 6 0 2 4 3 13 2
Group 4
Nigeria 6 4 1 1 9 2 13
Angola 6 3 2 1 5 4 11
Zimbabwe 6 2 2 2 6 6 8
Gabon 6 1 3 2 8 9 6
Algeria 6 1 3 2 3 6 6
Rwanda 6 1 1 4 4 8 4
Group 5
Morocco 6 3 3 0 10 4 12
Kenya 5 3 0 2 8 10 9
Guinea 6 2 2 2 9 5 8
Tunisia 5 2 2 1 15 6 8
Botswana 6 2 0 4 5 11 6
Malawi 6 0 3 3 6 16 3
and reuters
Today
WC Group 2 qualifier
C.Verde v South Africa SS3
Sunday
DR Congo v Uganda
Rwanda v Nigeria SS3
CRANES tactician Mohammad Abbas will hurriedly try to strike an understanding among his forwards when he takes his team through final drills at Kamanyola Stadium today.
In the absence of Geoffrey Sserunkuma and Robert Ssentongo, Abbas will only hope an eleventh hour attacking combination between debutante Robert Sejemba and Hassan Mubiru that has been forced on him by FUFA, clicks.
FUFA boss Dr James Sekajugo ignored Abbas’ choice of players to travel to Kinshasa, forcing the Egyptian tactician to adjust to suit his game against a DR Congo team expected to field professionals Lomana Lua Lua and Shaban Nonda.
Elsewhere on the continent, Morocco and Ivory Coast are fancied to inch closer to qualification for the 2006 World Cup finals after the completion of the weekend’s full programme of qualifiers.
The winners of the five groups qualify automatically for the finals.
Morocco’s three-point lead in Group Five should continue after a home match in Rabat against Malawi, who have yet to win a game in the group phase.
Malawi conceded seven goals in nearby Tunisia. Of all the group leaders, South Africa has the most perilous of trips, facing the Cape Verde in west Africa.
Standings
Group 1 P W D L F A Pts
Togo 6 4 1 1 8 3 13
Zambia 6 4 1 1 8 4 13
Senegal 6 4 1 1 15 6 13
Congo 6 2 0 4 6 9 6
Liberia 6 1 1 4 2 13 4
Mali 6 0 2 4 4 8 2
Group 2
South Africa 6 4 0 2 7 6 12
Cape Verde 6 3 1 2 6 5 10
Ghana 6 2 3 1 7 3 9
DR Congo 6 2 3 1 6 5 9
B.Faso 6 2 0 4 6 8 6
Uganda 6 1 1 4 3 7 4
Group 3
Ivory Coast 6 5 0 1 13 3 15
Cameroon 6 3 2 1 9 6 11
Egypt 6 3 1 2 15 10 10
Libya 6 3 1 2 8 8 10
Benin 6 0 2 4 6 14 2
Sudan 6 0 2 4 3 13 2
Group 4
Nigeria 6 4 1 1 9 2 13
Angola 6 3 2 1 5 4 11
Zimbabwe 6 2 2 2 6 6 8
Gabon 6 1 3 2 8 9 6
Algeria 6 1 3 2 3 6 6
Rwanda 6 1 1 4 4 8 4
Group 5
Morocco 6 3 3 0 10 4 12
Kenya 5 3 0 2 8 10 9
Guinea 6 2 2 2 9 5 8
Tunisia 5 2 2 1 15 6 8
Botswana 6 2 0 4 5 11 6
Malawi 6 0 3 3 6 16 3