South Sudan to warm up with Cameroon before Uganda Cranes game

Sep 16, 2020

The Bright Stars players, who have never made it into the continental championship, have stepped up efforts to qualify and began training again Sunday after a long break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

South Sudan has lined up friendlies with Cameroon and Burundi as they set their sights on a possible first-ever qualification for the African Cup of Nations in 2022, officials said.

The Bright Stars players, who have never made it into the continental championship, have stepped up efforts to qualify and began training again Sunday after a long break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Alul Daniel, the spokesman for the South Sudan Football Association, said the intensive two-week fitness program would be followed by the friendly with Cameroon on October 10 and another with Burundi, "to check if the team is ready or not".

The team is due to play Group B leaders Uganda when qualifiers resume in November after being suspended in March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Bright Stars are hoping to play their home match against Uganda in the Juba national stadium, which is currently undergoing a $5 million refurbishment financed by FIFA to promote football in the country, which achieved independence in 2011.

Up until now the team has played its home matches in the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

South Sudan's coach, Cameroonian Ashu Cyprian Besong, told AFP that 30 team members had undergone mandatory Covid-19 tests and had tested negative. A further 10 players have yet to take the tests.

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