CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup
Uganda vs Eritrea
StarTimes Stadium,
Wednesday, 11-12-2019 @4pm
LUGOGO – The Uganda football national team will be hoping to make it a perfect 9 points from three games when they take on Eritrea in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup on Wednesday afternoon.
The Cranes have been exceptional so far, winning both of their opening Group A games.
Johnathan McKinstry’s side defeated Burundi 2-1 on Saturday before taking care of Somalia 2-0 on Monday.
The six points earned so far mean that three more will see Uganda finish as group leaders and book a spot in the semi-finals of the regional competition.
Ahead of Wednesday’s game, Cranes head coach McKinstry is aware of the threat Eritrea pose.
“I think the game against Eritrea will be interesting, noted the North Irishman.
“Many people would have written off Eritrea but you saw with their performance against Burundi that football is changing from time to time.
“They played well, lots of energy, lots of running and could have scored more than one they did.
“Of course that was their first game and Burundi had played us already so they were a bit tired but that could not be used as an excuse.
“Now the question to our players is how good the recovery.”
The concerns about fatigue should be real for Ugandan players as they are playing their third game in a space of five days.
Whether McKinstry rings the changes, remains to be seen.
In the game against Somalia, the North Irishman made two changes to the team that had defeated Burundi on opening day with Joel Madondo and Joachim Ojera replacing Viane Sekajugo and Ben Ocen in the starting team.
It would come as no surprise if there are more changes made to the team on Wednesday.
The two sides rarely meet and this will be only their third meeting since 2007.
In the previous two, either side has won once with Eritrea winning 3-2 in a friendly played in December 2007 while Uganda triumphed 3-0 in the CECAFA Senior Challenge cup in 2013.
The CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup results so far
Group A
-Djibouti 0-0 Somalia
-Uganda 2-1 Burundi
-Burundi 0-1 Eritrea
-Somalia 0-2 Uganda
Group B
-Zanzibar 1-1 Sudan
-Kenya 1-0 Tanzania
-Sudan 1-2 Kenya
-Tanzania 1-0 Zanzibar
The Cranes 20-man Squad for CECAFA 2019
Goalkeepers
Charles Lukwago (KCCCA FC) and Joel Mutakubwa (Kyetume FC)
Defenders
Paul Willa (Vipers SC), Mustafa Kizza (KCCA FC), John Revita (KCCA FC), Musitafa Mujuzi (Proline FC), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers SC) (Capt), Paul Mbowa (URA FC)
Midfielders
Shafiq Kagimu (URA FC), Karim Watambala (Vipers SC), Nicolas Kasozi (KCCA FC), Bright Anukani (Proline FC), Muzamiru Mutyaba (KCCA FC)
Forwards
Allan Okello (KCCA FC), Viane Sekajugo (Wakiso Giants), Joachiam Ojera (URA FC), Ben Ocen (Police FC), Joel Madondo (Busoga United), Fahad Bayo (Vipers SC), Steven Mukwala (Maroons FC)
