Uganda master art of frustrating Ghana

ACCRA.

From the energetic team prayer, to simply waving back to the locals as their bus returned to Modern City Hotel, Uganda Cranes’ players looked satisfied.

Their mood before leaving Tamale Sports Stadium on Friday was one of a hunter contended with his loot.

There was a great feeling of delight within the visiting camp after frustrating hosts Ghana in a goalless draw to kick-start the third leg of 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier in Group E.

Prior, coach Micho Sredojevic had quickly accepted to walk to the post-match press conference, smiling and calmly answering the journalists’ questions.
“I am happy and satisfied,” Micho said of the crucial away point.

“If someone thought what happened between both teams in Kumasi was an accident, you’ve now gotten an answer,” he said of the two nations’ previous tie in the West African nation.

Cranes’ last visit to Ghana during the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers ended 1-all two years ago.

It was not the best of results to start the six-game journey to Russia 2018 but worthy taking considering how much the Black Stars had dominated the encounter.

No wonder Micho’s opposite Avram Grant felt let down by the score. “I am not happy with the result,” Grant said.
“We created many chances to win the match but we were unlucky. The opponent did not even create a single chance,” the former Chelsea boss noted. Uganda now appear to have become Ghana’s bogey side.

One off?
The Black Stars have beaten Cranes just once - a 2-0 win in Kumasi during the 2006 World Cup qualifiers - over five competitive ties in 12 years.

Following a composed first 15 minutes, Cranes’ roofclad formation began to melt fast under the tense Tamale atmosphere when Ghanaian Frank Acheampong and Christian Atsu posed several questions to respective their full-backs Nicholas Wadada and Joseph Ochaya.

However, neither delivered sumptuous crosses and, Ghana skipper Asamoah Gyan struggled to fit in while Mubarak Wakaso was starved of space in the middle.

Even when Grant introduced Jeffery Schulpp for Acheampong and Majeed Waris for Atsu, Cranes only grew stronger when the stadium lights went on with eight minutes to go.

“We had planned to stop their full backs (Baba Rahman and Harrison Afful) from doing overlaps,” Micho offered.
“We gave away many set pieces but managed to block Mubarak Wakaso from shooting from close and Gyan’s presence in the air.”

2018 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
GROUP E - RESULT IN TAMALE
Ghana 0-0 Uganda
GHANA VS. UGANDA - SINCE 2002
Sep 7, 2002: Uganda 1-0 Ghana (Afcon qualifiers)
Jun 22, 2003: Ghana 1-1 Uganda (Afcon qualifiers)
Jul 3, 2004: Uganda 1-1 Ghana (Fifa WC qualifiers)
Sep 4, 2005: Ghana 2-0 Uganda (Fifa WC qualifiers)
May 31, 2009: Ghana 2-1 Uganda (Friendly)
Sep 6, 2014: Ghana 1-1 Uganda (Afcon qualifiers)
Nov 15, 2014: Uganda 1-0 Ghana (Afcon qualifiers)
Oct 7, 2016: Ghana 0-0 Uganda (Fifa WC Qualifiers)