AFCON 2019 Qualifiers-Group L
Tanzania vs Uganda
National Stadium, Dar es Salam
Sunday, 24-03-2019 @6pm
DAR ES SALAAM – The Uganda Cranes will be hoping they can end the 2019 AFCON Qualifiers on a high, when they take on Tanzania at the National Stadium in Dar es Salam on Sunday.
The Cranes have been in scintillating form throughout the qualifiers, winning four and drawing only once in their first five games.
Impressively, they are also yet to concede a goal, the only Nation across the continent yet to let in one at the back end.
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.
In doing so, they would become the fourth East African country to qualify for this year’s AFCON after Uganda, Kenya and Burundi completed the task earlier.
Match Facts:
This will be the 15th meeting between the two sides since May 2017.
In the 14 meeting prior to Sunday, Uganda has defeated Tanzania 7 times, losing only 3 and drawing the other four.
However, Uganda has defeated Tanzania only once away from home, in that period. The sole victory for the Cranes came in the CHAN qualifiers back in June 2015.
The first meeting between the two nations in this year’s AFCON qualifiers ended goalless at Namboole, the only time Uganda failed to collect maximum points from a group L game so far.
Going into the game, Tanzania have won only one of their last 12 AFCON qualifiers (D5 L6). The only victory in that period game in the 2-0 win over Cape Verde in October 2018.
However, at home, the Taifa Stars have lost only one home AFCON qualifier in the last 9 years (W3 D5). The loss came in a 2-0 defeat to Egypt in June 2016.
For Uganda, they have gone 8 AFCON Qualifiers minus testing defeat (W6 D2). The last time the Cranes tested defeat was in March 2016 when they lost 1-0 away to Burkina Faso.
Away from home, they go into Sunday’s game having won all their last three game in the continental qualifiers, scoring five goals whilst conceding only one.
The Uganda Cranes team in Tanzania:
Goalkeepers: Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Robert Odongkara (Adama City, Ethiopia), Salim Magoola (Al Hilal, South).
Defenders: Nico Wakiro Wadada (Azam, Tanzania), Geofrey Walusimbi (Free Agent), Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania), Timothy Awany (KCCA, Uganda), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers, Uganda), Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Kirizestom Ntambi (Ethiopian Coffee).
Midfielders: Khalid Aucho (Churchhill brothers, India), Tadeo Lwanga (Vipers, Uganda), Ibrahim Sadam Juma (KCCA, Uganda), Moses Waiswa (Vipers, Uganda), Moses Opondo (Vendsyssel FF, Denmark), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Free Agent).
Forwards: Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Simba, Tanzania), Faruku Miya (Gorica, Croatia), Allan Kyambadde (KCCA, Uganda), Allan Okello (KCCA,Uganda), Edrisa Lubega (SV Ried, Austria), Muhammad Shaban (Raja Casablanca, Morocco), Henry Patrick Kaddu (KCCA, Uganda), Milton Karisa (MC Oujda, Morocco).
