Window for redemption

What you need to know:

  • Midfielder Geoffrey ‘Baba’ Kizito wants Uganda to leave Gabon with at least one victory.

His inclusion in the final 23-man squad was debated for periods. For most of December no one could speak with certainty that he would make the final team for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. Being in and out of the team in the qualifiers, you couldn’t tell whether he figured prominently in coach Micho Sredojevic’s plans.

Two matches into Afcon 2017 and Geofrey ‘Baba’ Kizito has been one of Uganda’s stand-out performers. He has been tidy in possession and has done what is required of him in the middle third of the pitch.

And ahead of Uganda’s final group D game against Mali at Stade Oyem tonight the defensive midfielder, however, is deflecting focus on him to the Uganda Cranes and the campaign so far. “We have won no match but that is not a reflection of our abilities,” Kizito told Daily Monitor at the team’s Benedicta Hotel located in the middle of a jungle in north western Gabon. “We have worked as a team, battled as a unit but luck has deserted us. We are putting out bodies on the line (against Mali) because we want to give our country honour at this competition.”

Cranes, who took a rest day on Sunday, trained intensely at Stade Bitam training comex on Monday and l yesterday afternoon and Kizito re-affirmed the team’s desire to do well in the final game.

“Expect 100% from the team yet again. Maybe this time round luck will be on our side. Just maybe.” Pressed further on good form at Afcon -he wasn’t at fault for the goals Cranes conceded to Ghana and Egypt, Kizito acknowledged that he had worked worked to be in shape for the Africa Cup of Nations. “I am feeling good; I knew that this opportunity may fall only once in my career and I want to sieze it.”

Kizito is aware that scouts from all over the world are watching the tournament but his emphasis remains on the team Cranes. “We want to fly with a point or three back home. We do not want to play out first tournament in so many years and leave empty handed.”
Cranes will take on Mali playing under no pressure now that the team is out of the competition. It remains to be seen whether that will play to the advantage of coach Micho Sredojevic’s team.

Mali in contrast have a mathematical chance of progressing to the quarter final. They will be hoping that already-qualified Ghana defeat Egypt and they get a decisive victory over Cranes.

TOTAL AFCON TABLE STANDINGS
P W D L A GD Pts
Group A
Burkina Faso 3 1 2 0 4 2 5
Cameroon 3 1 2 0 3 2 5
Gabon 3 0 3 0 2 2 3
Guinea Bissau 3 0 1 2 2 5 1
Group B
Senegal 3 2 1 0 6 2 7
Tunisia 3 2 0 1 6 5 6
Algeria 3 0 2 1 5 6 2
Zimbabwe 3 0 1 2 4 8 1
Group C
D.R. Congo 2 1 1 0 3 2 4
Morocco 2 1 0 1 3 2 3
Ivory Coast 2 0 2 0 2 2 2
Togo 2 0 1 1 1 3 1
Group D
Ghana  2 2 0 0 2 0 6
Egypt 2 1 1 0 1 0 4
Mali 2 0 1 1 0 1 1
Uganda 2 0 0 2 0 2 0
NB: Table Updated at 6pm, Tuesday , January 24, 2017.