Rwanda fly in ahead of Saturday's CHAN qualifier
Aug 10, 2017
The winner over two legs will qualify for the 2018 CHAN finals in Kenya.
PIC: Rwanda national team players at Entebbe International Airport soon after touching down on Thursday. (Credit: Adolf Ayoreka)
2018 AFRICA NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION
Saturday's first leg, 4pm (Ugandan time)
Uganda v Rwanda at St. Mary's Stadium, Kitende
Rwanda's national football side, Amavubi Stars, flew into Uganda Thursday morning for a crucial match.
This Saturday, they will play against Uganda Cranes in a first of two legs that will see the eventual aggregate winner qualify for the 2018 Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) in neighbouring Kenya in January.
The upcoming game will also officially set Uganda off to life after coach Milutin Sredojević (Micho), who moved back to South African side Orlando Pirates.
So how will interim coaches Moses Basena and Fred Kajoba fair in their first international match in full charge? Well, that, we will find out this weekend as the Cranes set their sights on sticking one leg into the next stage of the competition.
The hosts will carry along a huge bag of heightened confidence and inspiration from a 5-1 win over South Sudan nearly three weeks ago in what was Micho's last game in charge.
Paul Mucureezi's four goals in that game were overshowed by Micho's impending departure reportedly surrounding salary issues.
Micho, who had been at the helm of the national side since 2013, is gone now and Uganda is set for a fresh chapter. New beginnings, new life. Basena and Kajoba, who have been working alongside the Serbian tactician, will hope for a bright start.
But they will have to make do with the absence of inspirational veteran striker Geoffrey Sserunkuuma, who has moved on to Zambia, as well as Timothy Awany, who headed further south for trials in South Africa.
'But they are still Ugandan players, right?' you may wonder. Yes, they sure are, but CHAN, by football rules, is a tournament that is limited to only home-based players.
So they are not eligible to feature.
Uganda, the most successful nation in the Cecafa region in the footballing context, is yet to convincingly stamp its authority in the CHAN tournament.
A number of Ugandan players are plying their trade in clubs within and beyond the region.
How Uganda Cranes started against South Sudan at Lugogo
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2018 CHAN THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND, FIRST LEG FIXTURES
(By AFP)
Friday
Congo Brazzaville v DR Congo (holders) in Brazzaville
Saturday
Uganda v Rwanda at Kitende
South Africa v Zambia in East London, South Africa
Sao Tome e Principe v Cameroon in Sao Tome
Equatorial Guinea v Gabon in Malabo
Mauritania v Mali in Nouakchott
Algeria v Libya in Constantine, Algeria
Sunday
Madagascar v Angola in Antananarivo
Comoros v Namibia in Moroni
Ethiopia v Sudan Hawassa
Benin v Nigeria in Cotonou
Niger v Ivory Coast in Niamey
Burkina Faso v Ghana in Ouagadougou
Egypt v Morocco in Alexandria
Tuesday
Senegal v Guinea in Dakar
The second legs will be played from August 18 to August 22 and aggregate winners qualify for finals in Kenya.
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