South Sudan pose initial threat on Hippos return to continent

U-20 QUALIFIERS
2019 Total Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualfiers
*First round
1st leg 30th/31st March
Uganda vs South Sudan

2nd leg 20th/21st and 22nd April
South Sudan vs Uganda

The national Under-20-team Hippos will attempt to reach their first ever Total Africa U-20 Cup of Nations tournament when the qualifiers kickoff at the end of next month.

This is after the full draw for the qualifiers which will conclude with seven nations earning slots to join hosts Niger at the finals in 2019 was released yesterday by continental governing body Caf.

South Sudan will pose the first obstacle to the Hippos, expected to be coached by Mathias Lule on the weekend starting 30th/31st March.

“We know the quality of players South Sudan has in their team. It will not be a simple game as some people may want to assume,” Lule said of the first round opponents. The Hippos have been registered for the first time in the competition since the qualifiers for the 2013 tournament.

It is why Uganda is not among the 12 teams exempted from the first round. “We started our preparations very early by taking the team to Zambia for the COSAFA tournament. We shall also have a camp soon for these youngsters’ Lule added.

A win for the Hippos will then see them take on Cameroon in the second round while Tanzania/ DR Congo and Mali are the potential third round opponents for a place in the 2019 finals.

The Hippos in December featured as a guest team at the Cosafa tournament where they finished fourth with striker Muhammad Shaban finishing as top scorer with four goals at the 12-team tournament hosted in Zambia.

The latter are also the reigning continental champions in the Under-20 category.
[email protected]