- FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers (Group E)
- Kenya Harambee Stars 0-0 Uganda Cranes * Uganda Cranes is sponsored by Airtel Uganda among other partners
The 78th East African derby between Kenya Harambee Stars and Uganda Cranes at the Nyayo National Stadium did not live to the anticipated billing.
This closed-down duel of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualification in Group E ended bare in terms of goals netted despite an avalanche of scoring opportunities created per side.
Besides the spice of goals, there were all ingredients that surely defined a typical well-contested clash between these two traditional CECAFA companions vis-à-vis foes.
The three cautions to the Uganda Cranes showed by Sudanese FIFA Referee Ismail Mahmood Ali Mahmood nearly left the show to a swordfight.
There were tense moments with charged-up scenes, fluid passing, defensive strategies executed to the brim, and at the close of business a unifying gesture as both teams prayed together after the final whistle.
In the game proper, the visitors commenced on a rather wrong footing when Vipers defender and captain Halid Lwaliwa suffered an injury four minutes after kick-off.
Attempts to address the injury by the medical team were futile as his slot was quickly over by the Express Football Club captain Enock Walusimbi.
Walusimbi partnered with club-mate and experienced center half Murushid Juuko at the heart of defence for the rest of the game with the major task at hand to keep check of the Kenyan gangly forward and captain Michael Ogada Olunga.
Kenya had the first bite at the cherry when Abdalla Abdalla Hassan failed to connect with Olunga’s inviting cross from the left flank on 10 minutes.
Uganda Cranes’ first threat at the Kenyan goal came in the 17th minute when SuperSport United midfielder Moses Waiswa explicitly delivered a chip for captain Emmanuel Arnold Okwi although the Kenyan goalkeeper was fully alert to tame the effort.
Three minutes later, midfielder Bobosi Byaruhanga in his first-ever start for the national senior team had a weak booted shot on target from 20 yards easily dealt with by the Kenyan goalkeeper Ian Aubrey Otieno.
Left winger Joseph Benson Ochaya shot way off target from 25 yards in the 23rd minute as Uganda stabilized.
Moments later, midfielder Moses Waiswa had a free-kick fly wide of the Kenyan goal.
On the half-hour mark, Kenya called for their first change of the game; Lawrence Juma was rested for Eric Johanna.
Milton Karisa was brought down on the edge of the goal area by Joseph Stanley Okumu for a contestable penalty decision in the 32nd minute.
The resultant free-kick by Ochaya was blasted over the bar.
Uganda Cranes lost team captain Emmanuel Arnold Okwi with an injury towards the very end of the first half and it needed fresh legs of Derrick Nsibambi at the start of the final stanza.
Five minutes into the second half, Olunga arrived late to nod an inviting cross from Abdalla.
Uganda Cranes defender Murushid Juuko fouled Abdallah Musa mid-way the center field towards the hour mark.
Left back Isaac Muleme was called upon to defend for safety as Kenya intensified their raids in the 61st minute.
Okumu was booked for blocking Karisa as the hosts got their first caution in the game.
Uganda made a double substitution in the 66th minute for the third and fourth changes when Canadian-based Mustafa Kizza and Vipers winger Ibrahim Orit were introduced for Ochaya and Waiswa respectively.
Orit got cautioned for unsporting display three minutes after being introduced but later on, did a great task to hold possession.
With 12 minutes to play, Kizza executed a free-kick from 35 yards that flew over the goal.
Inside the final ten minutes of the game, striker Yunus Sentamu took over Milton Karisa’s place.
Sentamu’s immediate impact was felt when he covered up the back post as Kizza delivered a curling corner-kick.
Goalkeeper Charles Lukwago got cautioned for time-wasting as minutes clicked down.
This was Uganda Cranes and Harambee Stars’ first point of the campaign where Mali leads the standings in Group E with three points after a 1-0 win over Rwanda in Morocco.
Uganda Cranes’ head coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic described the match as the off-kick of the post-Onyango epoch.
“The post-Onyango era is officially on. We have to learn how to adjust in this transition. A point is good enough. Our strategy was to cut supply to the target man Olunga which we did well. There are still issues to work on as we approach the final third as regards goal scoring,” Micho told the media in the post-match press conference.
Uganda Cranes return home on Thursday, 3rd September 2021 aboard Ethiopian Airlines with a stop-over in Addis Ababa.
Uganda will host Mali on Monday, 6th September 2021 at the St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.
Uganda Cranes XI: Charles Lukwago (G.K), Denis Iguma, Isaac Muleme, Halid Lwaliwa (5’ Enock Walusimbi), Murushid Juuko, Khalid Aucho, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Moses Waiswa Ndohondi (66’ Ibrahim Orit), Milton Karisa (83’ Yunus Sentamu), Emmanuel Arnold Okwi – Captain, 46’ Derrick Paul Nsibambi), Joseph Benson Ochaya (66’ Mustafa Kizza)
Subs Not Used: Isima Bin Rashid Watenga (G.K), Joel Mutakubwa (G.K), Innocent Wafula Esimu, Gavin Kizito Mugweri, Abdul Azizi Kayondo, Richard Basangwa, Steven Desse Mukwala
Match officials:
- Center Referee: Ismail Mahmood Ali Mahmood (Sudan)
- 1st Assistant Referee: Ibrahim Abdallah Mohammed (Sudan)
- 2nd Assistant Referee: Abdel Gabar Muhammed (Sudan)
- Fourth Official: Fadul Sabri Muhammad (Sudan)
- Referee Assessor: Labrosse Jean Claude (Seychelles)
- Match Commissioner: Solomon Gebre Selassie (Ethiopia)
- Covid-19 Officer: Wycliffe Makanga (Kenya)
