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Uganda Cranes off to take on Nigeria’s Super Eagles

Kaddu scored for Uganda. He is off to Nigeria to take on Alex Lwobi’s Super Eagles Tuesday in a friendly. ? via @KadduPatrick9

AFCON RESULTS
Uganda ?? 1 Cape Verde ?? 0
South Africa ?? 1 Nigeria ?? 1
NEXT
Nigeria ?? vs Uganda ?? (friendly, Tuesday)

Kampala, Uganda  | THE INDEPENDENT | With the business of qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations completed, Uganda and Nigeria play a friendly Tuesday that can be considered a warm-up for Cameroon 2019.

Uganda Cranes head coach Sebastien Desabre named an 18-man team that flew to Nigeria without skipper Denis Onyango but with the majority of players who were in action Saturday, including goal scorer Patrick Kaddu.

The two goalkeepers who traveled with the team were Salim Jamal and Charles Lukwago.

According to FUFA.COM, the team departed on Sunday morning at 9am after the flight was delayed by six hours. The game is set for the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.

Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr also earlier called up stand – in captain Ahmed Musa and 22 other players for the qualifying match against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana played yesterday in Johannesburg. The same group will feature in the friendly against the Cranes of Uganda at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

Squad to Nigeria:

Goalkeepers: Salim Jamal, Charles Lukwago

Other players: Nico Wadada, Godfrey Walusimbi, Hassan Wasswa Mawanda, Khalid Aucho, Denis Iguma, Moses Waiswa, Patrick Kaddu, Isaac Muleme, Timothy Denis Awany, Isaac Isinde, Allan Kyambadde, Taddeo Lwanga, Ibrahim Sadam Juma, Milton Karisa, Allan Kateregga, Derrick Nsibambi

*****

MATCH REPORT

 Just when it looked like Cape Verde would hang on for a point, Patrick Kaddu used his head to break the deadlock as Uganda qualified for their second successive African Cup of Nations finals for the first time since the seventies.

Kaddu popped from the blue to glance in a header from a fine cross by Godfrey Walusimbi in the 79th minute to spark of wild celebrations by Ugandan fans.

Uganda Cranes capped the performance by holding on for their fifth consecutive clean sheet at the Cameroon 2019 qualifiers with what their French coach Sébastien Desabre, 41, said is his finest achievement.

“Yes”, he replied when asked by journalists if this was his biggest achievement as a coach.

There was also a sense at the end of the match that Ugandan football history has been made, and the older generation of stars are now confident a new generation of players is ready to carry Cranes into the future.

“This is likely to be my last African Cup of Nations qualifying match at Namboole,” declared captain Denis Onyango who is yet to be beaten in the qualifiers. He has been between goal for five qualifying matches, 540 minutes without conceding.

Kaddu’s goal not only assured Uganda of first place in Group K with one game to go, it also opened the door for Tanzania to also qualify.

If the Tanzanians win in Lesotho on Sunday they will return to the African football showcase after a 38-year absence.

Cape Verde coach Rui Aguas  admitted his side were second best and will be lucky to snatch second place.

“Congs Uganda. They deserve the win,” he said, before rushing to catch a flight back to Cape Verde.

Cape Verde were in the 2013 and 2017 Nations Cup finals.

Group L  

Standings P W D L F A  PTS

Uganda     5  4  1  0  7  0  13

Tanzania    4  1  2  1  3  4   5

C. Verde     5  1  1  3  4  5  4

Lesotho     4   0  2  2  2  7  2

Uganda’s Africa Cup of Nations record

Host nation(s) / Year Round Position GP W D* L GS GA
Sudan 1957 to
United Arab Republic 1959
Did not enter
Ethiopia 1962 Fourth Place 4th 2 0 0 2 1 5
Ghana 1963 Withdrew
Tunisia 1965 Did not qualify
Ethiopia 1968 Group Stage 8th 3 0 0 3 2 8
Sudan 1970 to
Cameroon 1972
Did not qualify
Egypt 1974 Group Stage 6th 3 0 1 2 3 5
Ethiopia 1976 Group Stage 8th 3 0 0 3 2 6
Ghana 1978 Runners-Up 2nd 5 3 0 2 9 7
Nigeria 1980 to
Libya 1982
Withdrew
Ivory Coast 1984 to
Morocco 1988
Did not qualify
Algeria 1990 Withdrew
Senegal 1992 to
Equatorial Guinea 2015
Did not qualify
Gabon 2017 Group Stage 13th 3 0 1 2 1 3
Cameroon 2019 to
Guinea 2023
To be determined
Total Runners-Up 6/31 19 3 2 14 18 34

READ FULL AFCON AFRICA ROUNDUP page 2

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