Cranes count on good record over Botswana

Kampala. Win and stay in, lose and it could all be over. Micho Sredojevic and his Uganda Cranes team will focus on the former when they confront Botswana this evening in the country’s second largest city of Francistown.
Uganda and Burkina Faso, the latter in Comoros for the other Group D encounter in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, are level on seven points but the Burkinabe top because they took four points off the Cranes.

With Botswana a point behind the top two, and Comoros on three, the pool is wide open such that should Uganda and the Zebras share spoils, and Comoros fashion an unlikely result over Burkina Faso, all four could head into the final day with a chance to qualify.
A Burkina Faso result in Comoros, however, would call for perfection from the Cranes as it will push the Burkinabe to 10 points with a game to spare.

But the Cranes, despite firing blanks against Burkina Faso home and away and in the 2-0 friendly defeat to Zimbabwe this week, will take encouragement in their record against Botswana.
The Cranes have beaten Botswana twice in four encounters, the others ending in draws. One of those Cranes victories – a 3-1 friendly win – came in Botswana.
Striker Emmanuel Okwi, who could start alongside skipper Geoffrey Massa today, scored two of the three Cranes goals in that victory two years ago.

“The Botswana game is really very important to us because it’s the game that decides whether we qualify or not,” Okwi told Saturday Monitor in a recent interview.
However, the aforementioned victory came in the capital Gaborone. Today’s encounter, which the hosts will be fancying as well, will be played at Francistown Stadium, where they have won their two opening Afcon qualifiers; a 2-1 victory over Comoros and 1-0 over Burkina Faso.
Uspa Footballer of the Year and Absa Premiership Goalkeeper of the Year, Dennis Onyango, should maintain his place in Cranes posts, with Isaac Isinde and Mrushid Jjuuko standing right in front of him.

Denis Guma and Joseph Ochaya are the anticipated full backs, with a defensive midfield of Hassan Wasswa and Khalid Aucho and Tony Mawejje expected to stave off Joel Mogorosi and Galagbwe Moyana.
Okwi and Luwagga, cutting in from the wings, are expected to support Massa, who is still looking for his first ever away qualifying goal.

Cranes probable X1: Denis Onyango, Denis Guma, Isaac Isinde, Murushid Jjuuko, Joseph Ochaya, Hassan Wasswa Mawanda, Khalid Aucho, Tony Mawejje, Kizito Luwagga, Emmanuel Okwi, Geoffrey Massa

Substitutes: Robert Odongkara, Godfrey Walusimbi, Yasser Mugerwa, Farouk Miya, Erisa Ssekisambu, Davis Kasirye, Edris Lubega
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