No holiday for Jamal, Onyango with North Africa tests looming
Salim Jamal has been the hero for Al Hilal many a time and his side will need to steer clear any goal attempts from Etoile’s forwards. COURTESY PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Algerian Karim Aribi has two goals to his name and so is Hilal’s Mohamed Eldai who netted in the 2-1 home win over Platinum last month.
A number of foreign-based Ugandan players often return home to spend time with family during this festive period.
Goalkeeper Salim Jamal hoped he would follow the script again this year. But that won’t happen as his club Al-Hilal has some work to do.
The Sudanese club is busy on the continent with a Total Caf Champions League away match against Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel at the Stade Olympique in Radès tonight.
This Group B match comes after Hilal suffered a 2-1 defeat away to record eight-time champions Al Ahly on December 6.
“All away games are difficult,” said Jamal before their contingent flew out of Sudan early this week. “… Mostly especially against North African clubs.”
Jamal, the only professional in the Hilal ranks, had actually feared for the worst against Al Ahly. “I had to save some balls to have a respectable score.”
The lanky custodian has conceded thrice in two Group B matches but he is still the first choice against Etoile who lead with six points from two outings.
Etoile is yet to concede and have already defeated Al Ahly 1-0 at home and put three past Zimbabwean outfit FC Platinum in Bulawayo.
Former Uganda Cranes captain and Mamelodi Sundowns shot stopper Denis Onyango. COURTESY PHOTO
Algerian Karim Aribi has two goals to his name and so is Hilal’s Mohamed Eldai who netted in the 2-1 home win over Platinum last month.
However, Jamal is keen on pursing a clean sheet like the three he picked prior in matches against Rwanda’s Rayon Sport and Nigeria’s Enyimba.
“My aim is to try do my best and have a good game and work as a team to achieve a positive result,” he added.
Meanwhile, Denis Onyango is as well one of coach Pitso Mosimane’s pillars as South African club Mamelodi Sundowns visit Algeria’s USM Algeria. Sundowns have had to spent Christmas in Algeria to prepare for this encounter. Cranes’ skipper Onyango has as well managed to shake off a hamstring problem and kept in goalless stalemate away at Wydad Casablanca which got the visitors a standing ovation from fans on Group C Match Day 2.
Since then, Onyango guided Sundowns to a 2-1 win over Martizburg United in the Telkom Knockout final before the 1-1 draw with Bidvest Wits and a 1-0 victory over Polokwane City in the Absa Premiership.
In Group A, Ugandan forward Umaru Kasumba has been quiet in recent weeks but should be available for selection when Zambian club Zesco United hosts Egyptian club Zamalek in Ndola.
