New Cecafa approach, and it’s a home W. Cup

For his impressive performances with the national U20 team, the Hippos, at the Afcon 2021 in Mauritania, Morley Byekwaso and his side will represent Uganda at this year’s Cecafa.

Byekwaso guided the Hippos to the final of the tournament, thrashing fancied Tunisia 4-1 in the semifinals.

But just like the Ghana Black Stars did against Uganda Cranes in the main Afcon final in 1978, the Black Satellites saw off their Hippos to win the title. 

However, the group had done enough to the delight of fans back at home and on the continent.

Particularly impressed were the Fufa executive, who - in their meeting on Friday - approved that it is the U23 team - The Kobs - that will represent the country at this year’s Cecafa in Ethiopia.

“Uganda will field predominantly the U-20 team that reached the Final of the Total Africa Cup U-20 Tournament in Mauritania,” reads in part a statement on the Fufa website.

“The decision to have the U-23 players for this tournament was reached on during the Cecafa Exco meeting held on 11th March 2021 at Sofitel Hotel, Morocco,” added the statement.

Previous Cecafa tournaments have been dominated by just the cream of the local league, but this time round age has come into play to try and keep the U20 boys together.  

Byekwaso will be assisted by former Cranes international Simeon Masaba, Stephen Kigundu (goalkeepers coach) and Ivan Ssewanyana (physiotherapist). The news also comes at a time the country is still recovering from what could have been a national embarrassment.

Namboole suspended
Uganda were facing the prospect of playing their World Cup qualifying home games out of the country after Fifa and Caf suspended Namboole for drop in required standards last year.

St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, a privately owned facility, was the only remaining hope but even then, it had to fix floodlights and develop access roads for it to be approved for Fifa games.

But in their submission to Caf and Fifa, Fufa pleaded that since the games would be at 4pm, the floodlights were not that important this time round. 

Well, it looks like the two international bodies bought in while ignoring some of the earlier requirements, and in a list of approved venues released late Monday, Kitende is listed. 

The Cranes start their Fifa Qatar World Cup qualifiers on June 5-8 away to Kenya before welcoming Mali to Kitende. Rwanda are the other group opponents.

Regarding the naming of a new Uganda Cranes coach, “the Executive will continue to review the process and criteria for selecting the technical set up.” 

Elsewhere, Fufa also confirmed in their Exco meeting that Uganda would host this year’s Cecafa U-20 Women Championship at the Njeru Technical Centre.

FIFA WORLD CUP - QATAR 2022

Group E fixtures
Match Day 1 (June 5 – 8)
Kenya        vs. Uganda
Match Day 2 (June 11 – 14)
Uganda    vs.  Mali
Match Day 3 (September 1 – 4)
Rwanda    vs.  Uganda
Match Day 4 (September 5 – 7)
Uganda     vs.  Rwanda
Match Day 5 (October 6 – 9)
Uganda    vs.  Kenya
Match Day 6 (October 10 – 12)
Mali            vs.  Uganda

[email protected]