ONYANGO: We are ready to do it against Lesotho

Total AFCON Qualifiers 2019
▶ Uganda ?? vs Lesotho ??
▶Saturday 13th October 2018
▶Time: 4pm at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole
▶Charges: 15,000/- (ordinary Tickets), 40,000/= (VIP), 150,000/= (VVIP)

Kampala, Uganda | FUFA.CO.UG | The stage is set at the historic Mandela National Stadium as the mighty Uganda Cranes host Lesotho national football team, popularly known as Likuena (The Crocodiles) at 4pm on Saturday.

Uganda Cranes will proudly don the newly designed jersey, manufactured by kits company Mafro for the first time.
This is the first leg of 2019 Total African Cup of Nations (AFCON) group L qualifier for the double header whose return leg will take place in Maseru on Tuesday, 16th October 2018.

Owing to the level of preparations since the Uganda Cranes kicked off their preparations with their non residential preparations for the home based players last week, the writing has been well scripted on the wall, the home team is ready.

Individual players led by the captain Denis Onyango have doubled their efforts in training sessions with sheer determination and commitment as they all eye maximum points.

“We are determined to give our best for the game. We need maximum points out of this game this Saturday. Lesotho is not a small team like many people think. Therefore, we have to work hard and collectively as a team” Onyango disclosed to the media in the pre-match press conference held at Namboole on Friday morning.

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Desabre aims for 200%

The head coach Sebastien Desabre and the rest of his technical team have done a tremendous task to assemble a formidable team and prepare the players mentally and physically.

Desabre says the team is prepared 200 percent for the double header starting with the first leg at Namboole.

“We have spoken to the players, trained well and they are prepared physically and mentally. The players know the importance of this match. We shall work hard to get the home win which will be a stepping stone to the return leg on Tuesday” Desabre told the media at the pre-match press conference.

Apart from Murushid Jjuuko, all the 23 other players in the camp at the Kabira Country Club in Bukoto will be available for selection.

Jjuuko is suspended after getting two cautions but will be available for the return leg when the team travels.
Uganda Cranes maintain their grip at the summit of group L with four points off two matches. Tanzania and Lesotho have four points while Cape Verde has one point.

Museveni boost

Early in the week, the team got a big boost when they were hosted by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at State House Entebbe at a function he organized to celebrate the 56th Independence Day.

In a jovial mood, the President discussed football matters with the contingent before he announced his offer of a chartered flight to fly the Cranes to Maseru for the reverse fixture against Lesotho to be played on Tuesday 16th October, 2018.

President Museveni also offered the Uganda Cranes contingent to State House a financial boost of UGX 200M (Two Hundred Million Shillings).

‘The support from the President is a sign that he follows and loves sports. Football has been picking good results partly because of such support from the fountain of honour and office of Education and Sports. This offer will help the team fly in time to Maseru for the game’ said Mugisha.

Uganda players in camp:

Goalkeepers: Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundown, South Africa), Jamal Salim (El Meriekh, Sudan), Charles Lukwago (KCCA FC, Uganda)

Defenders: Isaac Isinde (Kirinya Jinja SS, Uganda), Timothy Denis Awanyi (KCCA FC, Uganda), Denis Iguma (Kazma FC, Kuwait), Nico Wakiro Wadada (Azam FC, Tanzania), Godfrey Walusimbi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa) FC, Isaac Muleme (Haras El Hodood, Egypt), Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Hassan Wasswa (El Geish, Egypt)

Midfielders: Khalid Aucho (Church Hill Brothers, India), Ibrahim Sadam Juma (KCCA FC, Uganda), Tadeo Lwanga (Vipers SC, Uganda), Allan Kateregga (Cape Town City, South Africa), Faruku Miya (Gorica, Croatia ), Moses Waisswa (Vipers Sc, Uganda), Milton Karisa (MC Oujda, Morocco), Allan Kyambadde (KCCA, Uganda)

Forwards: Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Simba, Tanzania), Edrisa Lubega (SV Ried, Austria), Derrick Nsibambi (Smouha, Egypt), Patrick Kaddu (KCCA FC, Uganda)

Suspended: Murushid Juuko (Simba SC, Tanzania)

Match Officials:
Center Referee: Amin Mohamed Omar (Egypt)
1st Assistant Referee: Samir Gamal Saad (Egypt
2nd Assistant Referee: Mahmoud El Regal (Egypt

Collated Africa Cup of Nations qualifying results Friday:

Group L

At Praia

Cape Verde 3 (Gomes 16, 23, Tavares 85) Tanzania 0

Standings

Uganda 2 1 1 0 1 0 4

C. Verde 3 1 1 1 4 2 4

Lesotho 2 0 2 0 2 2 2

Tanzania 3 0 2 1 1 4 2

Fixtures

Saturday: Uganda v Lesotho

Tuesday: Tanzania v Cape Verde, Lesotho v Uganda

Group B

At Yaounde

Cameroon 1 (Choupo-Moting 63) Malawi 0

Standings (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points)

Cameroon 3 2 1 0 3 1 7

Morocco 2 1 0 1 3 1 3

Malawi 3 1 0 2 1 4 3

Comoros 2 0 1 1 1 2 1

Fixtures

Saturday: Morocco v Comoros

Tuesday: Comoros v Morocco, Malawi v Cameroon

Group C

At Libreville

Gabon 3 (Bouanga 28, Appidangoye 59, Martin 88-og) South Sudan 0

At Bamako

Mali 0 Burundi 0

Standings

Mali 3 2 1 0 5 1 7

Burundi 3 1 2 0 4 1 5

Gabon 3 1 1 1 5 3 4

S. Sudan 3 0 0 3 0 9 0

Fixtures

Tuesday: Burundi v Mali, South Sudan v Gabon

Group D

At Lome

Togo 1 (Denkey 84) Gambia 1 (Ceesay 7)

At Blida, Algeria

Algeria 2 (Bensebaini 21, Bounedjah 75) Benin 0

Standings

Algeria 3 2 1 0 4 1 7

Benin 3 1 1 1 1 2 4

Gambia 3 0 2 1 2 3 2

Togo 3 0 2 1 1 2 2

Fixtures

Tuesday: Benin v Algeria, Gambia v Togo

Group H

At Conakry

Guinea 2 (Kamano 36-pen, Cisse 73) Rwanda 0

At Bouake, Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast 4 (Kodjia 25, Bailly 52, Doukoure 57, Cornet 74) Central African Republic 0

Standings

Guinea 3 3 0 0 6 2 9

I. Coast 3 2 0 1 8 4 6

C.A.R. 3 1 0 2 2 6 3

Rwanda 3 0 0 3 2 6 0

Fixtures

Tuesday: Rwanda v Guinea, C.A.R. v Ivory Coast

Group I

At Luanda

Angola 4 (Da Costa 12-pen, 16, Campos 52, Gelson 80) Mauritania 1 (Hacen 3)

Standings

Angola 3 2 0 1 6 4 6

Mauritania 3 2 0 1 4 4 6

B. Faso 2 1 0 1 3 3 3

Botswana 2 0 0 2 0 2 0

Fixtures

Saturday: Burkina Faso v Botswana

Tuesday: Mauritania v Angola, Botswana v Burkina Faso

Group J

At Cairo

Egypt 4 (Elmohamady 4, Warda 10, Hassan 29, Salah 45) eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) 1 (Gamedze 85)

Standings

Tunisia 2 2 0 0 3 0 6

Egypt 3 2 0 1 10 2 6

eSwatini 3 0 1 2 1 6 1

Niger 2 0 1 1 0 6 1

Fixtures

Saturday: Tunisia v Niger

Tuesday: eSwatini v Egypt, Niger v Tunisia

Note: group winners and runners-up secure places at finals except for Group B, where 2019 Cup of Nations hosts Cameroon and the highest placed of the other three teams qualify