Afcon: Uganda Cranes enter Egypt home straight
Preparations. Uganda Cranes players in a training session at Lugogo. PHOTO BY JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
- Desabre had hoped to combine rigorous training and a few friendlies in between to sort all these issues.
KAMPALA. Uganda Cranes start their home stretch to their seventh Africa Cup of Nations finals today by camping in the United Arab Emirates for the following three weeks before the ball gets rolling in earnest in Egypt.
While in the UAE, Cranes coach Sebastien Desabre’s 27-man squad will take advantage of the world class facilities there as well as play Ivory Coast.
Fufa is also understood to still be counting on Arab side, while there, that would give them a feel of what Egypt could offer at the finals.
The Cranes are pooled alongside seven-time champions and Afcon hosts Egypt, two-time winners DRC and the stubborn Warriors of Zimbabwe in Group A.
Uganda qualified for the 24-team biennial event, first time since it is held since numbers were increased from 16, with a match to spare in a group that included Cape Verde, Lesotho and Tanzania.
But while most of the summoned players have been active at their respective clubs, some crucial ones are clubless while others leagues ended earlier.
Desabre had hoped to combine rigorous training and a few friendlies in between to sort all these issues.
He put in a practice match with a Cranes team that will represent Uganda at Cosafa 2019 in Durban, South Africa but another scheduled friendly last Saturday did not come through due to lack of opponents.
But with the Cranes starting the Abu Dhabi camp today, and at least Ivory Coast friendly on June 15 confirmed - although another one scheduled for June 9 is still at large -, the Frenchman is confident they will be ready for the finals.
“The most important thing is that the players will be ready by the time we go to Egypt,” he said.
Desabre, who was boosted by South Africa-based skipper Denis Onyango joining camp at the weekend, has been training with majority of the team for two weeks and by now has a clearer picture who will make the final 23.
