The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Head coach of Somalia’s national team Bashir Hayford has said his team has what it takes to get a win against hosts Uganda in the return leg of the 2020 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier.
Uganda Cranes will host Somalia in the return leg this afternoon at the StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo. Under caretaker coach Abudallah Mubiru, the Uganda Cranes have a 3-1 advantage after winning in the first leg played in Djibouti last weekend.
Hayford told URN on Friday evening that although they lost the first leg, his team is determined to get a good result in Kampala.
“We have prepared well and rectified the mistakes we made in the first leg. We know Uganda is a strong side, but we are well motivated to get a good result against them,” added Hayford who was in charge of Ghana at the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
But Uganda’s coach Mubiru has made it clear his team will have to show a good game in-front of the home fans. “We shall not underrate the Somalia team because we beat them in the first leg. We want to be more clinical in-front of goal,” added Mubiru.
The Uganda Cranes will miss the services of defender Timothy Awany who captained during the first leg, but traveled to Israel to negotiate a professional move.
The winner between Uganda and Somalia will face the winner between South Sudan and Burundi in the last phase of the qualifiers. Burundi beat South Sudan 2-0 in the first leg last weekend and the return leg will be played on Sunday in Kampala.
The South Sudan Football Association opted to play their home game in Uganda because their Juba Stadium is undergoing renovation.
The CHAN tournament is played by locally based players playing in the domestic leagues of the respective countries. Uganda has featured in the 2018, 2016, 2014 and 2012 Editions of the CHAN competition.
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