Ball retention key against Ethiopia - coach Basena

Kakamega- With the goals finally flowing in, Cranes head coach Moses Basena has shifted emphasis to improving the team’s style of play against Ethiopia this afternoon at Kakamega stadium in Kenya at the on-going Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.

Cranes was a rebranded side from that one held 0-0 by Burundi in the opening game and showed shades of potential to retain the trophy in the 5-1 mauling of South Sudan on Friday.

Goals by Hood Kaweesa,Derrick Nsibambi (brace),Milton Karisa and Nicholas Wadada didn’t only grant Cranes three valuable points but also showed the team can be offensive if they choose to be.
To counter the Ethiopian free flowing football,Basena wants his team to be more telepathic and speedy especially in the midfield. The introduction of Sadam Juma in the central axis for Tadeo Lwanga proved a master stroke from Basena as Cranes formed rings around the South Sudanese.

“We know what we have to do to beat Ethiopia. Retain the ball, pass it with speed and be physical,” Basena said after watching Ethiopia being whitewashed 4-1 by Burundi.

Ethiopia main Achilles heel is the porous backline that is likely to struggle while containing Nsibambi and Kaweesa’s aerial presence.

Their head coach Ashenafi Bekele told Sunday Monitor that his boys are young and still lack the aggressiveness needed at this stage.

“It is the first time these boys are playing international football,” Bekele said. “They are players we got from U-19 and U-17.We are building their confidence in front of goal to see that they can beat Uganda and we make it to the semifinal.”

The calculation
With three points, Ethiopia can only only make it to the semis with a win over Cranes to go to six points.
A draw can do for Cranes - already

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