Crested Cranes in another test as Ethiopia pose threat

Solitary Strike. Mutuzo wheels away in celebration against Kenya. PHOTO BY FUFA MEDIA

What you need to know:

  • Women Soccer. Uganda haven’t had the chance to play Ethiopia over the last two years and the last memory between the two sides will be that 4-1 drubbing the Crested Cranes faced when they hosted Cecafa in 2016.

KAMPALA. Crested Cranes are high in spirit after beating Kenya in the opener of this year’s Cecafa Women Championship on Thursday in Kigali. While those emotions will count for naught, this is the kind of momentum coach Faridah Bulega can count on when they confront Ethiopia today in their second round-robin game.
Uganda haven’t had the chance to play Ethiopia over the last two years and the last memory between the two sides will be that 4-1 drubbing the Crested Cranes faced when they hosted Cecafa in 2016.
But playing Kenya has given Bulega’s side some experience on how to handle the big-name opponents. The biggest similarity between Kenya and Ethiopia is that they build from the back but while the former then look to break out quick when pressed, the latter prefer to pass their opponents into submission.Every opponent in Rwanda will pose different challenges to Uganda and that is why the Crested Cranes were keen on developing their own game based around disciplined defending and utilizing setpieces without worrying much about the opponents.

UGANDA’S PROBABLE XI: Ruth Aturo; Viola Namuddu, Grace Aluka, Yudaya Nakayenze, Shadia Nankya; Tracy Jones Akiror, Phionah Nabbumba, Lilian Mutuzo, Winnie Babirye, Zainah Namuleme, Juliet Nalukenge