International friendlies: It's Egypt

August 14

Senegal v Zambia

Egypt v Uganda

World Cup qualifier September 7

Senegal v Uganda

Micho Sredojevic’s prayers for his Cranes team to play at least one international friendly match against a top team before facing Senegal in their last 2014 World Cup qualifier have been answered.

A top FUFA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Uganda will play a build up game against Egypt on the FIFA designated date of August 14.

The Egyptian football association and FUFA will jointly foot the costs for the Cranes to travel and play the match at either the 12,000 seater El Gouna Stadium or the 75,000 capacity Cairo International Stadium.

When contacted for a comment Micho gladly said that, “it is very good news for us if this can happen. We need to play a top team before we face Senegal in Morocco.” For Micho, Cranes playing a game out of their comfort zone in Kampala gives them a feel of a hostile away environment before they travel to play Senegal in Marrakesh.

On the same day Cranes will play Egypt, opponents Senegal will also take on former African champions Zambia in France. The Senegalese football federation secretary general Victor Ciss confirmed the friendly.

According to Ciss, the move to take the friendly to France targets convenience for most of Senegal’s professional players, who play for Ligue 1 clubs France. FUFA had also written to Gambia, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Ghana, Chile, Iraq but Egypt responded first accepting the request.

On Tuesday, FIFA finally confirmed that Uganda’s make-orbreak World Cup qualifier against Senegal on September 7 will be played at the Stade de Marrakech Stadium in Morocco.

FIFA’s decision followed a recommendation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) last month to have the game switched to Morocco and not Guinea, where Senegal had played Angola earlier.