We drew a tough group, but not one we cannot step out of

At the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) draw on Wednesday night in Libreville - Gabon, Group B which has Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, and Zimbabwe seemed to most of the people’s choice for the Group of Death.

When I look at Group D, in which we are placed alongside Egypt Ghana and Mali, I beg to differ. This is not because of alphabetical coincidence, but rather because in Egypt and Ghana, we are grouped with the tournament’s most successful nations. Mali, itself, is by no means a walkover.

Work with me on the specifics. Egypt and Ghana have been to Afcon for a combined 42 times, played 179 games, in which they won over half and scored 275 goals. That is considerable experience.

Even Mali, which may have debuted a whole decade after us in 1972, have since demonstrated more consistency, representing at nine Afcons and playing 43 games.

Uganda on the other hand, has only been to five Afcons, played 16 matches, won three, drawn one, and lost 12!
Now, we might possess a phantom pedigree about us, having debuted earlier than Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, or Ivory coast, but following that up with a 40-year disappearing act, is not what respectful credentials are made of.

Clearly, we are the underdogs. But is this a bad thing? Far from. Like anyone who has watched football will know, the game most of its shine comes from unpredictability.

So Uganda heading to Libreville without the burden of expectation is actually a plus. Unpredictability aside, our Group which is almost a replica of Group E in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, will give us the opportunity to have dress-rehearsals with Egypt and Ghana at least, before the real thing kicks off in January 2017. That experience is invaluable, and Ghana will have some respect for us after the draw in Tamale a fortnight ago.

In fact, Ghana will be sick of us too. Not only is our ball seemingly tied to theirs in every draw, but they cannot seem to beat us, having failed in the last five attempts. And when we open against them on January 17, 2016, it will be a replay of our last game at Afcon, all those years ago.

Admittedly when it comes to Egypt, we are only boys. But even they are only returning to the fold after a lull of 6 years, in which sport in their country was one of the unintended consequences of political turmoil
Mali, physicality aside, does not impress me. At our last bout in January this year at the African Nations Championship (Chan) in Rwanda, we conspired to draw a match we should have won.

So I see us beating and drawing with either one of Ghana or Mali. Then we can sit back and watch as they cannibalise each other, which is one of the beauties of being in a Group of Death. That then, is where the three points that propel us to the quarters will come from.

And I don’t think it is farfetched at all. After that who knows? Come on, you Cranes!

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MBanturaki