AFCON 2019 Qualifiers
Tanzania Vs Uganda- Taifa Stadium, Dar es Salam, 6pm
Sunday 24th March 2019
The Uganda Cranes safely arrived in Tanzania on Saturday afternoon from Egypt where they had camped for a week ahead of the last Total AFCON 2019 qualifier against Tanzania.
A contingent of thirty three people comprising of twenty four players and nine officials landed at the Julius Nyerere International Airport aboard Ethiopian Airline at 1.20pm led by FUFA Executive Committee member Hamid Juma. The team is accommodated at Southern Sun Hotel in Dar es Salaam.
Late in the evening at 6pm, the team conducted an acclimatisation training session at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam with all the players in good shape.
At the Pre-match Press conference, the Uganda Cranes Coach and Captain Denis Onyango promised not to take the game lightly amidst the team’s early qualification to the finals.
“It is a derby hence the importance and euphoria around it for both teams. We have to dominate the region and one of the ways is to win the game against Tanzania. As much as they want to win, we also want to win it and that makes it more interesting. We are also preparing for AFCON and this game will serve as one of the build-ups,” he said.
Uganda who have already qualified for the finals, have started preparations for the June/July tournament that is to be held in Egypt and according to head coach Sebastien Desabre, Sunday’s game will also be used as more prep.
“We are ready for the game, the most important thing for us is to finish on a high note and keep focus, said the Frenchman in the pre-match press conference.
“The development for our team to the next step because we have already qualified and now during this time, the camp in Egypt and the game against Tanzania, we use them to continue our preparations for AFCON.
Uganda will be without influential midfielder Hassan Wasswa after he accumulated two yellow cards which automatically rule him out of the final group game. Vipers’ Captain Tadeo Lwanga is expected to be the one who debutizes for Wasswa in midfield alongside Khalid Aucho and Moses Waiswa. Despite having already qualified for the finals, Desabre is expected to name a strong side for the game against Tanzania.
For Tanzania, they head into the game knowing that nothing but victory will see them make it to the finals in Egypt.
The Taifa Stars start the day in 3rd position on the table, level on points with second placed Lesotho but with an inferior goal difference.
With Lesotho away to bottom placed Cape Verde, who have 4 points, Tanzania will know that they must win on Sunday and pray that Lesotho fails to beat Cape Verde in order to reach the final tournament.
