Kenya tests Uganda Cranes in countdown to Comoros clash

International friendly
Uganda vs Kenya – Tuesday 4 p.m

AFCON 2017 qualifier
Uganda vs Comoros – Sunday 5 p.m

The countdown proper to the make-or-break African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Comoros starts today with a friendly against Uganda’s bogey side Kenya.

On form or not, no team gives Uganda as much headache as Kenya and explains why soccer governing body FUFA went for this final test.

Kenya’s Harambee Stars in training ahead of the International Friendly against Uganda Cranes .
Photos @Aminah_23 pic.twitter.com/klEAZcDKzH

— Aminah .B. (@Aminah_23) August 29, 2016

Harambee Stars visit with the setting similar to what it was in 2011, with Uganda needing a win of any kind to make it to the 2012 African Cup of Nations. Uganda could only manage a goalless draw then, as they again threw away a golden chance to make it to the Nations Cup finals for the first time since 1978.

A lot has changed since, including the fact that in has come a new coach Micho Milutin Sredejevoic, who seems to have got his calculations right this time.

Key in the run to this final game was a crucial away win in Botswana, putting Uganda for the 3rd time in qualifying tournaments in the past decade, seeking a win at home to secure a place.

The Kenyans will be led in this friendly by their Tottenham Spurs star, Victor Wanyama.

✈️✈️, Uganda ?? see you in a few

— Victor Wanyama (@VictorWanyama) August 29, 2016

Micho last week named named the side that will take on Comoros. The side includes Belgium based Farouk Miya and star South African based goalkeeper Dennis Onyango.

Goalkeepers:

Dennis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Salim Jamal Magoola (El Merriekh, Sudan), Benjamin Ochan (KCCA, Uganda), Ismail Watenga (Vipers, Uganda)

Defenders:

Nicholas Wadada (Vipers, Uganda), Joseph Nsubuga (SC Villa, Uganda), Bevis Mugabi (Yoevil Town, UK), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda , Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania), Isaac Isinde (St George, Ethiopia), Timothy Denis Awanyi (KCCA, Uganda), Rashid ‘Mertasacker’ Toha (Onduparaka, Uganda), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers, Uganda), Joseph Benson Ochaya (KCCA, Uganda), Godfrey ‘Jajja Walu’ Walusimbi (Gor Mahia, Kenya)

Midfielders:

Khalid Aucho (Baroka, South Africa), Tonny Mawejje (Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur, Iceland), Geofrey ‘Baba’ Kizito (Than Quảng Ninh, Vietnam), Moses Oloya (Kuban Kransndor, Russia), Kezironi Kizito (Vipers, Uganda), Ivan Ntege (KCCA, Uganda), William Luwagga Kizito (Feirense, Portgual), Vincent Kayizzi Walugembe (KCCA, Uganda), Abdulmalick Vitalis Tabu (Sports Club Villa Jogoo, Uganda)

Strikers:

Geofrey Massa (Baroka, South Africa), Farouk Miya (Standard Liege, Belgium), Yunus Sentamu (F.C Ilves, Finnland), Emmanuel Arnold Okwi, Geofrey Sserunkuma (KCCA, Uganda), Edrisa Lubega (Proline, Uganda), Muhammed Shaban (Onduparaka, Uganda), Erisa Ssekisambu (Vipers, Uganda)

Cranes’ task

All Uganda has to do is beat Comoros to advance to their first Nations Cup final since 1978. If Cranes win their final game, they will be one of the two best second placed teams, that make it to Gabon.

They set themselves up in this position by stunning Botswana 2-1 in June. 13 group winners and best two runners-up from 11 four-team groups qualify for 2017 Cup of Nations with hosts Gabon

Only four other teams, CAR, Tunisia, Mali (already qualified) and Benin can end up with 13 points, but if CAR and Tunisia get the 13 points, they will deny their 2nd placed teams, as that will leave them at 10 and 12 points respectively.

Mali and Benin play each other in the final match, so even if both get 13 points, one will be group leader – leaving Uganda as the second team at 13.

Teams that have qualified for 2017 Africa Cup of Nations 
Guinea-Bissau (Group E winners)
Morocco (Group F winners)
Egypt (Group G winners)
Ghana (Group H winners)
Algeria (Group J winners)
Senegal (Group K winners)
Zimbabwe (Group L winners)
Cameroon (Group M winners)
Mali (Group C  winners or runnersup)

Groups in contention for two second best qualification places

Group A 
Liberia      5 3 1 1 10 4 10
Tunisia      5 3 1 1 12 2 10
Togo          5 2 2 1  6  4  8
Djibouti     5 0 0 5  1 19 0
Final games
Tunisia vs Liberia
Togo vs Djibouti

Group B
DR Congo     5 4 0 1 12 5 12
C.A.R.           5 3 1 1 8  7   10
Angola          5 1 1 3 6  7   4
Madagascar 5 0 2 3 4 11 2
Final game
DR Congs vs CAR

Group C
Mali            5 4 1 0 8 1 13
Benin         5 3 2 0 10 5 11
S.Sudan     5 1 0 4 3 11 3
E.Guinea   5 0 1 4 2 6 1
Final games
Mali vs Benin

Group D
B. Faso       5 3 1 1 4 1 10
Uganda      5 3 1 1 5 2 10
Botswana   5 2 0 3 4 6 6
Comoros     5 1 0 4 2 6 3
Final games
Uganda vs Comoros
Burkina Faso v Botswana

FULL Africa Cup of Nations standings with one qualification round to go

Group A 
Liberia      5 3 1 1 10 4 10
Tunisia      5 3 1 1 12 2 10
Togo         5 2 2 1  6  4  8
Djibouti     5 0 0 5  1 19 0

Group B
DR Congo   5 4 0 1 12 5 12
C.A.R.         5 3 1 1 8  7 10
Angola        5 1 1 3 6  7 4
Madagascar 5 0 2 3 4 11 2

Group C
Mali     5 4 1 0 8 1 13 – qualified
Benin    5 3 2 0 10 5 11
S.Sudan  5 1 0 4 3 11 3
E.Guinea 5 0 1 4 2 6 1

Group D
B. Faso  5 3 1 1 4 1 10
Uganda   5 3 1 1 5 2 10
Botswana 5 2 0 3 4 6 6
Comoros  5 1 0 4 2 6 3

Group E
G.Bissau 5 3 1 1 7 6 10 – qualified
Congo    5 1 3 1 8 7 6
Zambia   5 1 3 1 6 6 6
Kenya    5 1 1 3 4 6 4

Group F
Morocco  5 4 1 0 8 1 13 – qualified
C. Verde 5 3 0 2 11 6 9
Libya    5 1 1 3 7 6 4
Sao Tome 5 1 0 4 4 17 3

Group G
Egypt     4 3 1 0 7 1 10 – qualified
Nigeria   3 0 2 1 1 2 2
Tanzania  3 0 1 2 0 5 1
Note: Chad withdrew after matchday 3 for financial reasons

Group H
Ghana      5 4 1 0 13 2 13 – qualified
Rwanda     5 2 0 3 8 5 6
Mauritius  5 2 0 3 3 14 6
Mozambique 5 1 1 3 4 7 4

Group I
I.Coast  3 1 2 0 2 1 5
S.Leone  3 1 1 1 1 1 4
Sudan    4 1 1 2 2 3 4

Group J
Algeria    5 4 1 0 19 5 13 – qualified
Ethiopia   5 2 2 1  9 13 8
Seychelles 5 1 1 3  4 9 4
Lesotho    5 1 0 4  5 10 3

Group K
Senegal 5 5 0 0 11 2 15 – qualified
Burundi 5 2 0 3 7 9 6
Namibia 5 2 0 3 5 7 6
Niger   5 1 0 4 2 7 3

Group L
Zimbabwe  5 3 2 0 11 3 11 – qualified
Swaziland 5 2 2 1 6 8 8
Guinea    5 1 2 3 4 5 5
Malawi    5 0 2 3 4 9 2

Group M
Cameroon   5 3 2 0 5 2 11 – qualified
Mauritania 5 2 1 2 5 4 7
S. Africa  5 1 3 1 7 5 6
Gambia     5 0 2 3 1 7 2

Note: 13 group winners and best two runners-up from 11 four-team groups qualify for 2017 Cup of Nations with hosts Gabon.