ZAMBIA hold the key
Sep 04, 2007
THE unceremonious postponement of the Benin-Sierra Leone qualifier to October 14 has left the South Africa-Zambia encounter as the sole match of interest for Uganda Cranes.
JOSEPH OPIO
Nations Cup qualifier
Saturday, 4pm
Uganda v Niger
S.Africa v Zambia
Gate Charges
Pavilion - sh30,000
Covered stands - sh20,000
Open stands - sh10,000
THE unceremonious postponement of the Benin-Sierra Leone qualifier to October 14 has left the South Africa-Zambia encounter as the sole match of interest for Uganda Cranes.
That decision — taken by CAF due to post-election security concerns in Freetown — has diminished the mathematical headache inherent in Cranes’ qualification prospects and pitted Uganda against Zambia in a race to the death.
The Chipolopolo [Copper Bullets] face South Africa at 4.00pm, the same time Uganda will engage Niger.
The temporary exclusion of Benin from the equation now dictates that Laszlo Csaba’s troops will decipher Uganda’s 30-year continental riddle if they defeat Niger — by any margin — and Zambia fails to win against Bafana Bafana in Johannesburg.
To borrow some helpful Big Brother Africa II imagery, Maureen Namatovu [Uganda] will need the vote of Lerato [South Africa] to evict Maxwell [Zambia] from the House.
Uganda can still edge out Zambia if both teams win their qualifiers. But for that happen, Csaba’s charges must outscore the Zambians by two goals.
The Chipolopolo have a slight +1 goal advantage since they have scored once more than Uganda.
Were both Uganda and Zambia to win by the same score-line therefore, Zambia would prevail.
Then, fans would be forced to clutch onto their rosaries and endure a nail-biting wait for the postponed October 14 qualifier of Benin and Sierra Leone to gauge Cranes’ fate.
Such an unfortunate state of affairs would have fans praying that Benin fails to win, or Togo and Mali — the other Group 9 teams — draw in Lome for Cranes to stand a chance.
- If Uganda wins 1-0 and Zambia loses 1-0
P W D L F A Pts
Sudan 5 4 0 1 10 2 12
Uganda 6 3 2 1 6 2 11
Zambia 6 2 2 2 6 3 8
- If Uganda wins 1-0 and Zambia draws 0-0
P W D L F A Pts
Sudan 5 4 0 1 10 2 12
Uganda 6 3 2 1 6 2 11
Zambia 6 2 3 1 6 2 9
- If Uganda wins 2-0 and Zambia wins 1-0
P W D L F A Pts
Sudan 5 4 0 1 10 2 12
*Zambia 6 3 2 1 7 2 11
*Uganda 6 3 2 1 7 2 11
*A play-off decider
The best runners-up table
P W D L F A Pts
*Sudan 5 4 0 1 10 2 12
Benin 5 2 2 1 8 4 8
Zambia 5 2 2 1 6 2 8
Uganda 5 2 2 1 5 2 8
Algeria 5 2 2 1 5 4 8
Tanzania 5 2 2 1 4 6 8
Eritrea 5 2 2 1 5 8 8
*Top three qualify
Nations Cup qualifier
Saturday, 4pm
Uganda v Niger
S.Africa v Zambia
Gate Charges
Pavilion - sh30,000
Covered stands - sh20,000
Open stands - sh10,000
THE unceremonious postponement of the Benin-Sierra Leone qualifier to October 14 has left the South Africa-Zambia encounter as the sole match of interest for Uganda Cranes.
That decision — taken by CAF due to post-election security concerns in Freetown — has diminished the mathematical headache inherent in Cranes’ qualification prospects and pitted Uganda against Zambia in a race to the death.
The Chipolopolo [Copper Bullets] face South Africa at 4.00pm, the same time Uganda will engage Niger.
The temporary exclusion of Benin from the equation now dictates that Laszlo Csaba’s troops will decipher Uganda’s 30-year continental riddle if they defeat Niger — by any margin — and Zambia fails to win against Bafana Bafana in Johannesburg.
To borrow some helpful Big Brother Africa II imagery, Maureen Namatovu [Uganda] will need the vote of Lerato [South Africa] to evict Maxwell [Zambia] from the House.
Uganda can still edge out Zambia if both teams win their qualifiers. But for that happen, Csaba’s charges must outscore the Zambians by two goals.
The Chipolopolo have a slight +1 goal advantage since they have scored once more than Uganda.
Were both Uganda and Zambia to win by the same score-line therefore, Zambia would prevail.
Then, fans would be forced to clutch onto their rosaries and endure a nail-biting wait for the postponed October 14 qualifier of Benin and Sierra Leone to gauge Cranes’ fate.
Such an unfortunate state of affairs would have fans praying that Benin fails to win, or Togo and Mali — the other Group 9 teams — draw in Lome for Cranes to stand a chance.
- If Uganda wins 1-0 and Zambia loses 1-0
P W D L F A Pts
Sudan 5 4 0 1 10 2 12
Uganda 6 3 2 1 6 2 11
Zambia 6 2 2 2 6 3 8
- If Uganda wins 1-0 and Zambia draws 0-0
P W D L F A Pts
Sudan 5 4 0 1 10 2 12
Uganda 6 3 2 1 6 2 11
Zambia 6 2 3 1 6 2 9
- If Uganda wins 2-0 and Zambia wins 1-0
P W D L F A Pts
Sudan 5 4 0 1 10 2 12
*Zambia 6 3 2 1 7 2 11
*Uganda 6 3 2 1 7 2 11
*A play-off decider
The best runners-up table
P W D L F A Pts
*Sudan 5 4 0 1 10 2 12
Benin 5 2 2 1 8 4 8
Zambia 5 2 2 1 6 2 8
Uganda 5 2 2 1 5 2 8
Algeria 5 2 2 1 5 4 8
Tanzania 5 2 2 1 4 6 8
Eritrea 5 2 2 1 5 8 8
*Top three qualify