Saturday September 21, 2019
- Bujumbura 4pm
Uganda wants to guarantee their fifth appearance in the tournament designed especially for home based players when they visit neighbours Burundi in the first leg of the East Zone qualifiers of Total African Nations Championship (CHAN) Cameroon 2020.
The highly anticipated clash will be in Bujumbura and presents the toughest test for interim coach Abdallah Mubiru since he began handling the national team.
The Police FC tactician guided the side to the stage with an emphatic victory over lowly ranked Somalia on a 7-2 aggregate but Burundi presents a whole new challenge.
Mubiru is confident the boys will give it all they can for a positive result in Bujumbura before they finish off the job next month.
“Everyone is in good health condition and players are ready to give their best so that we can get the result we want,” said Mubiru.
“The target is a result that will give us an advantage before we engage our opponents in the return leg next month.
“We are committed to giving a good performance that will earn us respect.
Burundi reached the stage by eliminating South Sudan and most of the Cranes players as well as Mubiru watched the return leg in Kampala so have a clue on how to approach the game.
How will the team line up?
Charles Lukwago is expected to keep his place between the sticks with Paul Willa and Mustafa Kizza at right and left back respectively.
John Revita is assured at the heart of defence but whether the boss keeps Mustafa Mujjuzi as his partner or goes with Vipers’ Halid Lwaliwa remains a big decision.
Going by training sessions, looks like Lwaliwa could get ahead of the tried and tested Mujjuzi at this level though.
Nicholas Kasozi and Muzamiru Mutyaba at the heart of midfield with Allan Okello, Shafik Kagimu and Mike Mutyaba or Viane Sekajugo to support on form Fahad Bayo.
Fixtures
Central Zone
22.09.2019 Bangui Central Africa vs DR Congo
22.09.2019 Malabo Equatorial Guinea vs Congo
Central-East Zone
21.09.2019 Bujumbura Burundi vs Uganda
22.09.2019 Mekelle Ethiopia vs Rwanda
22.09.2019 Dar es Salaam Tanzania vs Sudan
South Zone
22.09.2019 Manzini Eswatini vs Zambia
22.09.2019 Antananarivo Madagascar vs Namibia
22.09.2019 Harare Zimbabwe vs Lesotho
North Zone
21.09.2019 Blida Algeria vs Morocco
21.09.2019 Tunis Tunisia vs Libya
West A Zone
21.09.2019 Nouakchott Mauritania vs Mali
21.09.2019 Thies Senegal vs Guinea
West B Zone
22.09.2019 Lome Togo vs Nigeria
22.09.2019 Niamey Niger vs Cote d’Ivoire
22.09.2019 Kumasi Ghana vs Burkina Faso
