Ssimu sees Cranes troubling Algerians
Ssimwogerere highly rated Musisi as a talented player but less as a disciplined one and team uniter. PHOTO | EDDIE CHICCO
He captained Uganda for a decade and his beloved Express for three more years. So when he speaks, he lends credence. George Ssimwogerere, currently vice president of a Uganda soccer legends association, is not actively coaching after parting ways with Express in 2020.
But he continues to follow the game and is one of the ex-internationals authoritatively placed to shine a torch on Algeria versus Uganda permutations.
“Somehow we always compete against Algeria,” Ssimwogerere told NTV Sport Knights and Daily Monitor ahead of Saturday’s Afcon 2023 qualifying tie away to Algeria. “I’m actually not worried about Algeria. My only worry is with Micho (Sredojevic, Cranes coach) not seeming to pick a consistent team.
“That said, I think we could even get something from that game because they have not given us hard time like Egypt and Tunisia.” Ssimwogerere was in defence when Egypt drew goalless with Uganda in Kampala and the Cranes were hammered 6-0 away in the 1996 Afcon qualification.
He also played in Uganda’s 2-0 home defeat and 6-0 thrashing in Tunis by the Tunisians in the 2000 Afcon qualifiers.
“But for Algeria,” added the 54-year-old, “We somehow favourably compete.”
He has a point. Actually, Uganda have won three, lost four and drawn as many in the 11 times they have faced Algeria.
The Cranes beat Algeria 2-1 in Kampala and drew 1-1 away to qualify for the 1974 Afcon finals. Uganda also thrashed Algeria 4-1 at Nakivubo in 1983 but failed to qualify on away goals rule for the Olympics after a 3-0 return leg defeat.
A Hassan Mubiru brace in the 2-1 Afcon 2000 qualifying victory before Algeria responded with two unanswered goals in Oran also provides another fairly good memory in these clashes, never mind not progressing to the finals.
The Cranes also drew both home and away games 1-1 with Algeria in the 1996 Afcon qualifiers, with Ssimwogerere scoring the equaliser at Nakivubo after Magid Musisi won the crucial penalty.
Magid, Ssemugabi penalty tales
Ssimwogerere narrated: “Magid won that penalty and as he was being carried off injured, I asked him: ‘Magid, are you going to take the penalty?’
To which Musisi reportedly responded: “Njilete ate njikube? Oba temujikuba mujileke (laughs).” The above is loosely translated as ‘I can’t win you the penalty and then take it for you (teammates). If you don’t want (to take it), you leave it.
“Immediately I knew I had to take it. I took it and scored.”
Ssimwogerere, who won a couple of league titles, half a dozen Uganda Cup trophies with Express and a host of Cecafa Senior Challenge Cups with the Cranes, also offered insight on the infamous Adam Ssemugabi missed penalty in 1993. “Ordinarily Magid was the penalty taker as the most senior leader,” said Ssimwogerere on a penalty that could have sent Uganda to Afcon 1994 finals.
“But when I saw him virtually not interested in picking the ball, I went for it and put it in the spot. However, both Jackson Mayanja and Musisi called me and asked me to leave it for Ssemugabi.
“Their reasoning was that since Ssemugabi took hard penalty shots, he was the better option because the Nigerian goalkeeper was never going to hold the ball.
“And that even if he guessed right, the rest of the team would be on hand to rebound the ball in. I didn’t buy their argument and went back to the centre line.”
On his part, Mayanja says that after Musisi declined to take it, he asked him to convert it.
“But as soon as I placed the ball in the penalty spot, I saw Ssemugabi just behind me ready to take the kick. I had no choice but to back off,” explained Majanja. Elsewhere , Cranes had an 8-1 practice thrashing of local side Hamman Sousse.
