When: June 15, 2013.
Where: Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
Kickoff: 4.00PM
Match Officials: Redouane Jiyed (centre ref) Mohamed Abdelaziz (assistant) and El Mehraji Lahmidi (assistant).
Uganda Cranes’ search for a place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil resumes this Saturday when they face the Palancas Negras of Angola in a must win tie at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
The Cranes picked their first victory of the campaign last weekend after they edged the Lone Stars of Liberia 1-0 thanks to Tony Mawejje’s early strike to go second in group J on five points just one behind leaders Senegal while Angola sits third on four points just one and two behind Uganda and Senegal respectively. The weekend results left the group open with all four nations still with the opportunity to progress to the final round.
A win for Uganda Cranes against Angola will lift them to the top of the group on eight points for at least 90 minutes with Liberia and Senegal taking to the field later while victory for Angola takes them to seven points.
UGANDA CRANES TEAM NEWS:
Goalkeeper Denis Onyango has been ruled out while striker Emmanuel Okwi has passed a late fitness test. The duo have been sidelined for most training sessions this week. St. George goalie, Robert Odongkara who deputized in the absence of Onyango against Liberia last weekend is expected to maintain his place in goal. Emmanuel Okwi adds to Micho’s options upfront that already includes Hamis Kiiza, Daniel Sserunkuma, Geoffrey Massa and Robert Ssentongo.
The Serb is likely to name an unchanged back four that kept a clean sheet versus Liberia with Denis Guma, Isaac Isinde, Andrew Mwesigwa and Godfrey Walusimbi completing the back four. Nevertheless, there is a likely possibility of Henry Kalungi returning to the team in the place of Isinde.
Moses Oloya who never got playing time against Liberia is likely to start ahead of William Luwagga Kizito on the right flank while Joseph Ochaya may start on the left wing. This may be aimed at blocking Angola’s wing play as the Antelopes always create most of their goal scoring opportunities from the wings as it happened in the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture.
In central midfield, the biggest jigsaw that the Crane technical bench faces is whether to maintain a three man defensive midfield that started against Liberia last weekend or drop one of Tony Mawejje, Hassan Wasswa and Geoffrey ‘Baba’ Kizito for a creative midfielder to play behind lead striker Geoffrey Massa in a 4-2-1-3 system that can change into a 4-4-2 or 4-2-1-3 depending on the match situation.
In case one of the midfielders is relegated to the bench, either of AIK Stockholm’s Martin Mutumba Kayongo, Joseph Mpande, Said Kyeyune or Luwagga Kizito will make the starting the eleven.
MAN TO WATCH: Tony Mawejje:
After declaring himself unfit for the away game in Liberia in March, many had written him off but the IBV midfielder’s decision seemed to work in his favour as he appears fresh at the moment. Forget his goal against Liberia, Mawejje’s runs and ability to link play between attack and defence will be crucial if the Cranes are to pick their second victory of the campaign.
CRANES PROBABLE XI (4-2-1-3):
Robert Odongkara (GK)
Denis Guma – Isaac Isinde – Andrew Mwesigwa (Captain) – Godfrey Walusimbi
Hassan Wasswa – Tony Mawejje
Joseph Mpande
Moses Oloya – Geoffrey Massa – Joseph Ochaya
ANGOLA TEAM NEWS:
The Palancas Negras of Angola arrived in the country on Thursday evening in a buoyant mood following the 1-1 draw with Senegal’s Lions of Teranga last Saturday that brought them back into the equation.
Coach Gustavo Antonio Ferrin Rodriguez has a 25 man squad from which to pick a side he feels will beat Uganda and already the leader of delegation has warned that they are not in Kampala for formality.
“We are not here to predict scores, we are here to play and win. Uganda is not an easy place to play from, but with this young squad, we are determined”, said, Raul Neves Chipenda, the Head of Delegation told Kawowo Sports on arrival at Entebbe Airport.
MAN TO WATCH: Djalma Campos
In the absence of former Manchester United striker Nuno Manucho Gonzalez, Djalma will be the main man for the Antelopes. The FC Porto winger cum striker must be keenly watched by the Cranes rear guard to avoid causing damage.
FULL ANGOLA SQUAD:
Amando Manuel Felipe Da Costa (Amaro), Bartolomeu Jacinto Quisanga (Bastos), Fiston Kumbi Mukabidi (Linbegue), Regio Franciso Conco Zalata (Mingo Blle), Masunguna Alex Afonso (Dany), Ricardo Job Estavao (Job), Elidio Jose Panzo (Pirolito), Fabricio Mafuta (Landu), Adriano B. Duarte Nicolau (Fabricio), Manuel Da Costa Gasper (Manuel), Hugo Miguel B.H Marques (Hugo), Hermenegildo Bartolomeu (Geraldo), Jose Pedro Alberto (Mabina), Antonio Goncalo Cassule (Gomito), Mateus Galiano Da Costa (Mateus), Mario Manuel De Oliveira (Ito), Gamael Mussumari (Mussumari), Adwa Makanda (Adwa), Pedro Victor Mingas (Guilherme), Cristovao Paciencia (Mabululu), Moises Miguel Jose (Mano), Manuel David Afonso (Ary) and Djalma Braune M.Abel Campos.
DID YOU KNOW THIS?
– Uganda Cranes has not lost a home tie for the last eight years. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana was the last team to defeat the Cranes at home in 2005 thanks to a Benni McCarthy penalty.
– Angola’s last victory over Uganda Cranes in Kampala was on June 6, 1996 when they beat the Cranes 2-0 in the preliminary round of the 1998 World Cup qualifiers.
– Angola has lost on their previous two visits to Uganda; 3-1 on September 14, 2008 in the 2010 AFCON qualifiers and 3-0 on September 4, 2010 in the 2012 Group J AFCON qualifier.
– Uganda and Angola will be meeting for the eighth time in history. In the previous meetings, Angola is slightly above Uganda with 3 wins over Uganda’s 2 while the rest have been stalemates.
– Cranes skipper Andrew Mwesigwa is Uganda’s leading scorer in this fixture with two goals and just one short of Angola’s J Paulao who is the fixture’s top scorer with three.
– Unlike Uganda Cranes which have never played at World Cup finals event, Angola represented Africa in the 2006 World Cup held in Germany
PREDICTION:
These will be familiar opponents meeting and there is nothing as hard as predicting such games. Both sides look a bit changed especially Angola thus making it difficult to project what to expect. Nevertheless, the Cranes are at home and have belief following the 1-0 win over Liberia. Besides, Angola are not good travelers and face a side that is a hard nut to crack at home. A tight contest but at the end, I expect the hosts to win the game.
UGANDA 2-1 ANGOLA
What is your prediction?
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