Results so far
Egypt 3-2 Kenya
Rwanda 3-0 Burundi Rwanda 1-3 Egypt
Uganda 3-0 Burundi
Kigali Rwanda November 27, 2013.
When Uganda Volleyball Cranes played Egypt for the first time in 1975, then George Edward Aporu-Okol (RIP) was the main attacker for the team. Thirty eight years later Aporu-Okol’s last born, George Aporu will also face Egypt at the Federation of International Volleyball Zone Five World Championships qualifiers.
“Playing Egypt will be one way of keeping the Aporu legacy alive,” Aporu said with an emotional tone. “However it’s (Egypt) a big hurdle and it will be beyond individual performance but team work,” the 25-year old added.
Another milestone in the Ugandan team today will be for setter Smith Okumu who turns 23 today.
Egypt came into this tournament with a ticket to the continental qualification stage already secured. But that didn’t stop them from defeating Kenya 3-2 in their opening fixture.
It is that kind of seriousness that Ugandan tactician Anthony Ndawula believes the experience is new for his side. “The team we are playing has been at that level before unlike us,” Ndawula said.
“But that doesn’t mean that we can’t give our best with such teams, we shall gauge ourselves to see where we are and I believe the players will perform,” he added. Egyptian setter Hossam Yusuf is among the tallest players in the tournament and without a doubt he has enjoyed himself so far.
“We are here to give some of our junior players a run out, and we are will approach the game like any other,” said Yusuf. Rwanda plays Kenya in a fixture expected to be thrilling for the locals.
