Somalia win takes weight off Cranes’ shoulders- Mubiru

There was a slight worry in the lead up to the Cranes’ Chan 2020 Qualifier first leg against Somalia about the team’s failure to convert goal scoring chances.
The Abdallah Mubiru-coached side had managed a single goal in three warm-up games going into Saturday’s game at Al Haji Hussein Guled Stadium in Djibouti.

In the end, they managed to put those fears to bed with a 3-1 result that should help the team ease into the next round after this weekend’s return leg at Lugogo. The Cranes, however, struggled to break down their hosts until the stroke of half time when Ethiopian centre referee Belay Tadesse adjudged Allan Kayiwa’s cross to have been cut out by one of the Somali defenders.

Patrick Kaddu then stepped up, sending the ball to his right and the goalkeeper diving in the opposite direction. Left back Musafa Kizza then added a second goal just after the hour mark when the goalkeeper misjudged his in-swinging freekick before turning provider for Taddeo Lwanga who tapped in the third late on.

“It had to be a hard game. A small team off the pitch but on the pitch they were very organised and a tough opponent to break. ” added Mubiru who is in temporary charge of the team. The only blot to the Cranes came from a bad John Revita mistake that allowed a consolation goal for the hosts. But it is the Cranes who are still in the driving seat going into the return leg on Saturday.

The winner will then play either Burundi or South Sudan in the final qualification round of the tournament where only players who feature in the domestic leagues of their respective countries are eligible.

CHAN 2020 Qualifier FIXTURES

1st Leg
Uganda 3-1 Somalia
2nd Leg
August 3, 2019
Uganda Vs Somalia
StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo 4pm.

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