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Uganda Cranes draw Rwanda, Kenya in World Cup qualifiers

Uganda Cranes starting XI vs Malawi in their last game, a African Cup of Nations qualifier, at Namboole last year. PHOTO FUFA MEDIA

Group A
Algeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, Djibouti
Group B
Tunisia, Zambia, Mauritania, Equatorial Guinea
Group C
Nigeria, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Liberia
Group D
Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Malawi
Group E
Mali, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda
Group F
Egypt, Gabon, Libya, Angola
Group G
Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia
Group H
Senegal, Congo Brazzaville, Namibia, Togo
Group I
Morocco, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan
Group J
DR Congo, Benin, Madagascar, Tanzania

African champions Algeria to face Burkina Faso in World Cup qualifying

Cairo, Egypt | AFP |  Uganda Cranes will face Rwanda, Kenya and Mali for a place in the final round of African qualifiers for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Uganda were placed in Group E, one of 40 teams that will compete in 10 groups after the draw in Cairo.

“It is a group that presents great opportunity, but also intriguing challenges. We look forward to the journey,” said Uganda Cranes coach Johnny Mckinstry. 

The group will be a tough one, as Uganda will have four East African derby matches to overcome. It will also be interesting for the reason that Coach McKinstry was Rwanda coach before.

“On the footballing level, obviously, Uganda has done better than Kenya and Rwanda in recent years. Derby games can throw up surprising results and are so unpredictable but we will play them with high perfection and a lot of focus. We shall be fully focused and professional to make sure we get the results we need” said McKinstry.

The matches will take place from March 2020 until October 2021.

Group winners will advance to the third round which will be played in November 2021. The five winners of the final round will secure berths in the 2022 World Cup.

Uganda Cranes have never made it to the World Cup before.
In other highlights from the draw, African football champions Algeria, led by Riyad Mahrez, will take on Burkina Faso, Djibouti and Niger in the second round of qualifying.

Other heavyweights such as Senegal, relying on 2020 African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah’s Egypt will take on less-fancied nations.

Madagascar, surprise quarter-finalists in last year’s Africa Cup of Nations, will face the Democratic Republic of Congo.

All five African teams failed to reach the knockout stage of the 2018 World Cup, the first time that had happened since 1982.

 

 

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