CHAN 2018
Uganda vs Ivory Coast
Stade de Marrakech, Marrakech
10:00pm
Uganda will this evening take on Ivory Coast in the their third game of group B at the CHAN tournament as both teams play for pride.
Both teams have already been eliminated as they are yet to register a point having lost their first two games against Namibia and Zambia.
This current Cranes team will not want to become the second side not to register a single point at the championships since Uganda first took part in 2011.
The other side that left the championships empty handed was the one of 2011 that lost to then host Sudan, Algeria and Guinea.
The last two editions have seen the Cranes end with four and two points respectively but looking at what has been happening in the matches that the team has played so far, it would not come as a shock if Uganda lost to Ivory Coast tonight.
The team has been playing some good football but the problem has always surfaced in the final third where a lot has not been created in terms of goal scoring opportunities and the few that have been created have not been buried on several occasions.
Speaking ahead of the game tonight, team captain Bernard Muwanga was optimistic the Cranes can win against the west Africans.
“We know we have not got what we came for but our target is to get all three points so as we can at least finish third in the group,” Muwanga said.
“The game is also important to us because with a win, we give our fans hope that they can at least duel on. We know it is not going to be easy because they also want the points badly but we hope luck can be fall us and we come out victorious,” he added.
Uganda who are set to be without suspended defender Timothy Awanyi who was sent off against Namibia are expected to ring a few changes which may see Police FC’s Mustapha Mujuzi partner Muwanga at center half.
The other changes may see the players who are yet to feature in the tournament like Saidi Keni, Abubaker Kasule, Joseph Nsubuga, Aggrey Maddoi and Rahmat Ssenfuka get a kick of the ball as Muzamir Mutyaba and co who have not performed to the expectations seat out.
Uganda lost 3-1 in the openning game against Zambia before loosing 1-0 to Namibia on Thursday.
The extra motivation for the team is the fact that whoever finishes third will get $25000 ontop of the $17,5000 that they already got for qualification for the tournament.
The game between Zambia and Namibia who have already progressed to the knock out stages will take place at the same time in Casablanca at the Stade Mohammad V.
Yesterday’s results.
Sudan 0-0 Morocco
Mauritania 0-1 Guinea.