Cranes battle hosts Tanzania
Dec 09, 2010
UGANDA Cranes are just two steps away from completing a historic CECAFA Challenge Cup hat-trick.
By Abdallah Mubiru in Dar Es Salaam
UGANDA Cranes are just two steps away from completing a historic CECAFA Challenge Cup hat-trick.
A win over hosts Tanzania in today’s semi-final at the Mkapa national stadium will haul Uganda close to that achievement and a record 12th title in the regional competition.
Fixtures between the two countries have always been exciting.
In their last CECAFA meeting, the Cranes beat Tanzania 2-1 in the semi-finals at Nakivubo stadium –a feat the hosts will want to avenge in front of nearly 60,000 home fans.
Cranes coach Bobby Williamson however maintained that his troops would not be intimidated, particularly with the return of team captain Andy Mwesigwa from suspension.
“Tanzania is a strong side just like the other teams we have played but my players are steadily improving at winning matches.
“It’s not going to be easy playing against the home crowd but we played under the same atmosphere against Zanzibar in the quarter-finals any way,†Williamson stated.
Road to the Semi-finals
Tanzania beat Somalia and Burundi with 3-0 and 2-0 victories respectively to qualify as runners up in Group A behind Zambia.
They beat Rwanda 1-0 in the quater-finals.
To the contrary, Cranes qualified as Group C winners after wins over Ethiopia (2-1), Kenya (2-0) and 1-1 draw with Malawi.
Cranes’ nervous moment came in the quarter-finals, where they on a 5–3 penalty win to eliminate Zanzibar after the two sides had played to a 2-2 draw on 90 minutes.
Interesting statistics
It will be Cranes’ sixth consecutive semi-final match and 28th overall since the inception of the competition.
The 11-time champions have not lost a game in CECAFA since 2008.
Cranes opponents Tanzania have not gone beyond the semi-final stages since 2002 when they lost to Kenya in the finals.
Strategy
Cranes will try to control the midfield again like they did against Zanzibar, and hope to be efficient on the counter.
Williamson will however ask both Steven Bengo and Mike Sserumaga to adopt a more aggressive approach to try and get an early goal that will silence the voiceferous home crowd.
Probable line up:
Odongkara, Masaba, Walusimbi, Isinde, Mwesigwa, Mudde, Wagaluka, Mawejje, Okwi, Serumaga and Bengo.
UGANDA Cranes are just two steps away from completing a historic CECAFA Challenge Cup hat-trick.
A win over hosts Tanzania in today’s semi-final at the Mkapa national stadium will haul Uganda close to that achievement and a record 12th title in the regional competition.
Fixtures between the two countries have always been exciting.
In their last CECAFA meeting, the Cranes beat Tanzania 2-1 in the semi-finals at Nakivubo stadium –a feat the hosts will want to avenge in front of nearly 60,000 home fans.
Cranes coach Bobby Williamson however maintained that his troops would not be intimidated, particularly with the return of team captain Andy Mwesigwa from suspension.
“Tanzania is a strong side just like the other teams we have played but my players are steadily improving at winning matches.
“It’s not going to be easy playing against the home crowd but we played under the same atmosphere against Zanzibar in the quarter-finals any way,†Williamson stated.
Road to the Semi-finals
Tanzania beat Somalia and Burundi with 3-0 and 2-0 victories respectively to qualify as runners up in Group A behind Zambia.
They beat Rwanda 1-0 in the quater-finals.
To the contrary, Cranes qualified as Group C winners after wins over Ethiopia (2-1), Kenya (2-0) and 1-1 draw with Malawi.
Cranes’ nervous moment came in the quarter-finals, where they on a 5–3 penalty win to eliminate Zanzibar after the two sides had played to a 2-2 draw on 90 minutes.
Interesting statistics
It will be Cranes’ sixth consecutive semi-final match and 28th overall since the inception of the competition.
The 11-time champions have not lost a game in CECAFA since 2008.
Cranes opponents Tanzania have not gone beyond the semi-final stages since 2002 when they lost to Kenya in the finals.
Strategy
Cranes will try to control the midfield again like they did against Zanzibar, and hope to be efficient on the counter.
Williamson will however ask both Steven Bengo and Mike Sserumaga to adopt a more aggressive approach to try and get an early goal that will silence the voiceferous home crowd.
Probable line up:
Odongkara, Masaba, Walusimbi, Isinde, Mwesigwa, Mudde, Wagaluka, Mawejje, Okwi, Serumaga and Bengo.