- International Friendly Match
- Ivory Coast 0-1 Uganda Cranes
Uganda Cranes has completed their training camp in Abu Camp with a morale-boosting 1-0 win against West Africa giants Ivory Coast during an international friendly match at Sheikh Zayed Sports City Stadium on Saturday.
Faruku Miya, an offensive midfielder at HNK Gorica, scored the all-important goal in the 35th minute.
Miya beat TP Mazembe goalkeeper Guelassiognon Sylvain Gbohouo with a well drilled penalty.
It then necessitated solid collective defending from the Uganda Cranes for the famous victory, coming seven days before AFCON 2019 kicks off.
Miya had also got close in the inside the opening 10 minutes but his header was pushed for a corner by goalie Gbohouo.
Head coach Sebastien Desabre called off KCCA striker Henry Patrick Kaddu for clubmate Allan Kyambadde as the second half kicked off.
The second change came witnessed the Czech Republic based winger Isaac Muleme who features for FK Viktoria Žižkov come for the stylish Swedish based Abdu Lumala on 66 minutes.
The third change was done for Miya who got rested for Tadeo Lwanga in the 82nd minute,
The fourth and final change marked the long-awaited for Ostersunds towering defender Ronald Brian Mukiibi Ddungu who replaced Murushid Jjuuko with a minute to the end of normal time.
This was the second international friendly match for Uganda Cranes after the goal-less stalemate against Asian country Turkmenistan a week earlier.
After three weeks of camping in Abu Dhabi, the Uganda Cranes will now depart for Cairo city, Egypt on Monday.
We have had a great camp where we also played two international friendly matches. The win against ivory coast is very important because in football, it is such results that keep the players motivated. We are still not yet there but we shall improve in the remaining days before our first game against DRC
Sebastien Desabre, Uganda Cranes Head Coach
The Uganda Cranes opening game will be played against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, 22nd June 2019.
The Uganda Cranes depart Abu Dhabi on Monday, 22nd June 2019 for Egypt where they will be stationed in Cairo.
Team Line Ups:
Uganda Cranes XI: Dennis Onyango (G.K, Captain), Bevis Kristofer Kizito Mugabi, Godfrey Walusimbi, Murushid Jjuuko (89’ Ronald Mukiibi), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda, Aucho Khalid, Mike Azira, Emmanuel Arnold Okwi, Faruku Miya (82′ Tadeo Lwanga), Patrick Henry Kaddu (46’ Allan Kyambadde), Abdu Lumala (66’ Isaac Muleme)
Subs Not Used: Robert Odongkara (G.K), Joseph Benson Ochaya, Timothy Denis Awany, William Luwagga Kizito, Derrick Paul Nsibambi, Allan Kateregga, Nico Wakiro Wadada, Salim Omar Magoola
Head coach: Sebastien Desabre
Ivory Coast XI: Sylvain Gbohouo (G.K), Serge Aurier (Captain), Ismael Traore, Wilfried Kanon, Souleyman Doumbia, Franck Kessie, Jean Philippe Gbamin, Jean Michael Seri, Nicolas Pepe, Jonathan Kodjia, Max Alain Gradel
Subs: Eliezer Tape Ira, Badra Ali Sangare, Coulibaly Wonlo, Cheick Comara, Victorien Angban, Wilfried Zaha, Maxwell Cornet, Ibrahim Sangare, Roger Assale, Geoffroy Serey Die, Mamadou Bagayoko, Wilfried Bony
Head coach: Ibrahim Kamara
Match Officials:
- Referee: Sultan Abdurazzaq
- Assistant Referee 1: Hassan Almahri
- Assistant Referee 2: Zayed Dawood
- Fourth Official: Hamad Ali Yousef
We shall end at round of 16