Ghana display provides inspiration for Uganda

LOME.

After a 15-minute drive, the bus transporting the Uganda Cranes from Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport in Lome pulled up at the Sarakawa Hotel, the team’s abode until tomorrow.

The mood of the occupants was, well… normal. Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic looked over his lean right shoulder and beckoned midfielder Kizito Luwagga to give a prayer.

The Covilha forward obliged – in Luganda, which prayer was followed by an Islamic version from AS Vita striker Yunus Ssentamu.

All prayed for God’s mercy and blessings. Both prayed for a good result today when Uganda face Togo at the 35,000-capacity Stade de Kégué in the 2015 Nations Cup qualifiers looking to avoid defeat to keep their Morocco dreams intact.

It was a prayer the team needed especially after the 10-year unbeaten home record breaker last Saturday, a prayer they will hope is really answered today.

“We are fully aware what this match means to us,” Micho later told Daily Monitor here after the team’s first of two training sessions, “We have been put in a difficult situation but one I think we can pull through.”

After the 1-0 defeat to Togo last Saturday, Uganda now need to - at worst - pick a point against a team they have never beaten anywhere in five encounters to keep in control of their destiny.

And to pull through, Micho and Cranes are looking to the display in which they went to Mauritania in August and won 1-0; only their second ever qualifying victory in West Africa, and, especially, the spirited 1-1 draw in Ghana early last month, for inspiration.

"On our last two encounters, on 3rd August against Mauritania away the second one on 5th September against Ghana, we showed that we can play well away,” Micho reminded us.

“This time we are also coming out with an intention to get a result and with all due respect to the opponent I believe in the boys, I believe in the coaches.”

Micho is again expected to start with a four at the back, five in the middle and with stand-in skipper Geoffrey Massa, whose all 11 qualifying goals have come only at home, leading the attack. But he will have to do all this without suspended Andy Mwesigwa.

While experienced but out-of-favour Isaac Isinde would be the ideal partner of Savio Kabugo in central defence, vibes here suggest youngster Murushid Jjuuko could stand next to his SCVU colleague - Kabugo - against the towering Emmanuel Adebayor.

“Any team missing their captain for such an important much, it is difficult,” explained Micho, “But whoever is not around, we must do without.

“Final consultations with technical team will decide who will start in the middle of defence but I will not exclude that one or two debutants (Jjuuko and Martin Kizza of Tusker) could take part in the game.”

Uganda probable X1
Dennis Onyango, Dennis Guma, Godfrey Walusimbi, Savio Kabugo, Murushid Jjuuko, Khalid Aucho, Geoffrey ‘Baba’ Kizito, Tonny Mawejje, Kizito Luwagga, Moses Oloya, Geoffrey Massa
Subs: Robert Odongkara, Martin Kizza, Isaac Isinde, Brian Majwega, Brian Umony, Daniel Sserunkuma, Yunus Ssentamu

Togo team that started in Kampala
Djehani Yao (GK), Emmanuel Adebayor, Amevor Kodjo, Serge Akakpo,, Donou Kokou, Romao Alaixys, Djene Dakonam, Serge Gakpe, Wome Dove, Ouro-Akoriko, Jonathan Ayite

2015 Afcon qualifiers
Today, Group E
Togo vs Uganda (3pm in Lome, 6pm in Uganda)
Stade de Kégué (35,000 capacity)
Ghana vs Guinea, Tamale

Group E

Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
Ghana 3 1 2 0 5 4 1 5
Uganda 3 1 1 1 3 2 1 4
Guinea 3 1 1 1 3 4 -1 4
Togo 3 1 0 2 4 5 -1 3

Fifa Ranking
Uganda - 79
Togo - 125

Uganda vs Togo head-to-head
14 Jul 1965: Togo 1-1 Uganda, African Games
21 Nov 1965: Togo 1-1 Uganda, International friendly
08 Oct 2000: Togo 3-0 Uganda, African Nations Cup qualifiers
02 Jun 2001: Uganda 0-3 Togo, African Nations Cup qualifiers
11 Oct 2014: Uganda 0-1 Togo, African Nations Cup qualifiers

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