Not as easy as it seems for Cranes
Micho has been at the helm of two failed campaigns and will be aiming to make it third time lucky this time round. Photo by Eddie Chicco
KAMPALA. The draw in April for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualification was greeted with something far beyond optimism. “It’s an easy group.” That was and still is the common feeling. You might find that disrespectful coming from a nation that hasn’t qualified for Afcon since 1978.
What makes one think something you haven’t achieved in just under four decades is an oat meal, almost an entitlement?
Never despise the ability of swimmers to float until you try it yourself. Like all the near misses of recent times, the margins are razor thin.
Coach Milutin Sredojevic and his team have their work cut starting today as group D may not be as easy as it seems.
What Cranes needs
A total of 52 teams entered the tournament, including the hosts (Gabon) which qualified automatically for the final tournament.
There are 13 groups, twelve with four teams and one with three teams (plus the host nation which play friendlies with the three teams).
The 13 group winners will qualify for the final tournament. Then comes the mathematics as the two best overall runners-up will also book their places.
Many Ugandans will dread the latter as mathematics never helps Cranes.
Beneath that, several tie breakers, running in chronological order, will be used to determine final placement.
Fear Burkina Faso
Uganda Cranes are not favourites to qualify for Afcon, at least history suggests so though faith and patriotism will blind anyone.
As Cranes appeared at the biennial showpiece for the fifth time, also Uganda’s last in 1978, Burkina Faso was only qualifying for the first time.
The Stallions have been there nine times since, reaching the finals two years ago before losing 1-0 to Nigeria.
In Lyon’s Bakary Kone, the Burkinabes, also semifinalists as hosts in 1998, have one of the best defenders on the continent.
They also have Alain Traore (Lorient) and Jonathan Piiroipa (Al Jazira) in attack but their strength lies in overall solidity as seen in their 2013 Afcon run.
Gentle Zebras
Like all teams in group D, Botswana’s Zebras have never been to the World Cup.
Uganda is even far better as Botswana only boast one Afcon finals’ appearance.
However, it’s as recent as 2012. The script had them overpower former African champions Tunisia and Emmanuel Adebayor’s Togo in their group.
That included winning in Tunis and losing only once, away in Lome. It’s an invaluable roller coaster even if their biggest stars play in South Africa and DR Congo.
Comoros Islands
One radio ad, voiced in Luganda, mentions the island of Comoros in derogatory terms. They are supposed to be whipping boys of this group.
Six points off Comoros are a must for any team with designs of finishing top of group D. But, wait a minute.
Though Comoros only joined the African football family in 2003, they have players in divisions of France, Greece, and even England’s Milwall!
2017 AFCON QUALIFYING DRAW
Group D: Burkina Faso, Uganda, Botswana, Comoros
Group A: Tunisia, Togo, Liberia, Djibouti
Group B: DR Congo, Angola, CAR, Madagascar
Group C: Mali, Equatorial Guinea, Benin, South Sudan
Group E: Zambia, Congo, Kenya, Guinea Bissau
Group F: Cape Verde, Morocco, Libya, Sao Tome
Group G: Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, Chad
Group H: Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Mauritius
Group I: Ivory Coast, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Gabon
Group J: Algeria, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Seychelles
Group K: Senegal, Niger, Namibia, Burundi
Group L: Guinea, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Swaziland
Group M: Cameroon, South Africa, Gambia, Mauritania.
