- Thursday October 07, 2021
- Stade Regional Nyamirambo, Kigali 7pm (EAT)
Cecafa regional rivals Rwanda and Uganda face off in the third match of the Fifa World Cup qualifiers 2022 with either seeking first win of the campaign.
Rwanda have lost and drawn once against Mali (0-1) and Kenya (1-1) respectively while Uganda has played to two goalless draws versus same opponents.
With Group E leaders Mali not in action until later on the day, a win for Uganda will take them top of the log for at least six hours while a similar result for Amavubi takes them level on points with the Eagles who face Kenya in Morocco later.
Team News:
The hosts are likely to miss midfield gem Djihad Bizimana with reports he has been diagnosed with Covid19.
He remains the key figure doubtful for the clash from the Amavubi camp.
For Uganda, Murushid Jjuuko serves a one match ban after he was sent off in the draw with Mali.
The Cranes are also without skipper Emmanuel Okwi and so is his strike partner Derrick Nsibambi.
Fahad Bayo, Timothy Awany and Taddeo Lwanga all missed the first two qualifiers but are available for selection in Kigali.
Pre-Match Thoughts
Aucho Khalid (Cranes Captain)
“We have played many derbies and won. The players are ready for Rwanda. The young players in the team are like babies taking their first steps to walk. They want to prove a point and are willing to deliver for the Uganda Cranes and make the fans happy.
“We are only thinking about winning the match against Rwanda.”
Mulitin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic (Cranes Coach)
“After the match with Mali, our foreign based players put themselves in the competitive mode while the local players got chance to win places in the squad after playing four practice matches. They have shown desire to be in the squad. I believe they will deliver.
With due respect to Rwanda, our target is to get maximum points from these games. Nothing less than that!’
Key Stats
- Rwanda and Uganda have previously met 33 times with Uganda winning 14 against Rwanda 10 and the rest draws.
- Uganda Cranes is unbeaten against Amavubi in the past seven meetings – last loss came in December 2007 in the Cecafa Cup. However, Rwanda beat local based Uganda 2-0 in a Chan qualifier at Nyamirambo in 2017
- The last meeting between the two sides was in January at the Africa Nations Championships and ended in a goalless draw.
- Haruna Niyonzima, Jacques Tuyisenge and Yannick Mukunzi will miss the reverse fixture in Kitende if booked for Rwanda while Khalid Aucho, Ibrahim Oriti and Charles Lukwago will be suspended if booked as well.
Familiar faces
If given chance to play, Amavubi have faces that are familiar with Ugandan football.
Vipers’ midfielder Jamil Kaliisa, former KCCA defenders Denis Rukundo and Samuel Kato Nemeyimana and former Express FC midfielder Isaac Nsengiyuva are all available for selection for Amavubi.
Meddie Kagere is another familiar face in the Amavubi squad – born in Uganda but turned Rwandese.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that coach Vincent Mashami (Amavubi) was also born in Uganda.
Cranes Probable XI:
Watenga (GK), Iguma, Walusimbi, Awany, Muleme, Aucho ©, Bobosi, Waiswa, Poloto, Bayo and Sentamu.
It is going to be a surprise if Uganda survive this game… Every sign is clear this is the worst cranes team i have seen in a century. The effort to include the foreign based legion is zero- No Miya, No Luwagga, No Okwi, No Lumala the list goes on. Rwanda is going to eat us for dinner – But as the slogan goes i will try and be positive and say We go We go Uganda cranes We go