Cranes set for date with destiny

The Cranes of Uganda gave their AFCON hopes a huge boost despite being held to a barren draw by Kenya in a friendly on Tuesday at Kampala.

Uganda, a notable absentee from the final tournament of the showpiece continental championship since 1978, are just a win away from breaking that jinx as they face Comoros in a Group D Day 6 clash on Sunday, 4 September 2016 in Kampala.

Tied on 10 points with Burkina Faso, the maximum points will guarantee Uganda a place at the final tournament either as winner of the group or as one of the best runner-ups.

Leading the cranes to the promise land is Serbian trainer Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic, who rates the Kenya friendly as a good step for his team ahead of the must win clash against Comoros, a side they defeated 1-0 at the latter’s backyard last September.

“We thank Kenya for answering our call to help us prepare for the great game on Sunday. It was a good match for us and now we have seen what we need to improve on. We have four training sessions and here we will work hard to be ready for Comoros,” Micho as the Serbian is fondly called told CAFOnline.com after the match.

It has been so near and yet so far for the Cranes the last couple of years missing out on qualification by whiskers. For the 2013 campaign, Uganda forced then holders Zambia to the wire after a Geoffrey Massa strike cancelled Christopher Katongo’s winner in the first leg before the Cranes bowed out 9-8 on penalties.

Prior to that, a barren draw on the last day against Uganda denied them a place in the 2012 edition co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea & Gabon, finishing on 11 points, one shy of Angola.

“We have learnt …

continue reading in source www.cafonline.com