Cranes alter travel plans
Mar 19, 2013
A two day camp that was earlier planned in Accra, Ghana has been excluded due to what FUFA head of communication described as an unfriendly schedule
By James Bakama and Julius Senyimba
LADY luck could already be smiling Uganda’s way as the Cranes make final touches for the World Cup qualifier against Liberia.
The match will be handled by officials from Egypt, a country, whose referees have been in charge of two recent encounters where Uganda has triumphed over West African opposition.
Uganda’s good fortunes with Egyptian officials were first evident in 2007 when Uganda beat Nigeria at Namboole. It was a similar story last year’s Nations Cup qualifier where the Cranes whipped Congo Brazzaville 4-1.
The man in the center this time will be Mohammed Farouk. He will be assisted by Sherif Hassan Tamer Dorry. Yasser Younis will be the fourth official.
Bobby Williamson and his troops have meanwhile changed their travel schedule. A two day camp that was earlier planned in Accra, Ghana has been excluded due to what FUFA head of communication described as an unfriendly schedule.
Departure from Uganda has now been delayed by a day to Friday morning.
The team departs at 1.40am on Friday on an Ethiopian Airlines flight via Addis Ababa to Liberia. They arrive in Monrovia at 11.15am. They return home at 12.55 am on Monday.
Mulindwa explained that they had managed to get places for only three people on the Saturday trip from Accra to Monrovia. “The rest would have to travel later that evening. We found that risky hence the need to change.”
The Group J match will be in 30,000 seater Samuel Kanyan Doe Sports complex. Uganda has to pull off a good result to keep alive its dream of a historic place in the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
Defender Henry Kalungi was expected in camp last night bringing the total of players at the Namboole camp to 23.
Striker Geoffrey Massa, who plies his trade in Cyprus, and Asante Kotoko midfielder Joseph Ocaya will be in Accra ahead of the rest of the team.
Hamis Kiiza (Yanga FC), Daniel Serunkuma (Gor Mahia) Kizito Luwaga (Leixoes) and Simeon Masaba (URA) did not make it to camp. Joseph Mpande (Vipers) and Ali Feni (URA) were added to the squad.