#MUJJETULUMBE:
AFCON 2017 QUALIFIERS (Group D):
1st Leg: Burkina Faso Vs Uganda – Sat, 26th March 2016 – Bienvenue Au Stade Du 4 – Aout, Ouagadougou (6:00 p.m Local Time, 9 p.m Ugandan Time)
2nd Leg: Uganda Vs Burkina Faso – Tues, 29th March 2016 – Nelson Mandela National Stadium, Kampala (7p.m).
Saturday night provides the crucial plat form that offers a thin wall between character and pedigree when the determined Uganda Cranes plays the Burkina Faso Stallions at the Bienvenue Stade Du 4-Aout arena in the group D AFCON 2017 qualifier.
Just three days later, the two countries will again lock horns at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
From the time Uganda Cranes team was summoned, head coach Milutin Sredojevic and the technical team have always emphasized the significance of the fixture in the road to Gabon 2017.
‘The double header against Burkina Faso is the fulcrum of this qualification campaign. We have prepared well and the players are willing to give 100% percent’ Micho told www.fufa.co.ug.
There are no injury concerns in the team camp and all the players are willing to give their best.
Team Skipper, Geofrey Massa, who plays professional football with South African Premiership side, Bloemfontein Celtics believes this is Uganda Cranes’ long awaited moment since 1978.
‘We know the value of these two matches. We shall play one by one but with one heart. This is our time’ Massa notes.
The team started training last Friday and entered residential camp on Monday at Sky Hotel Naalya.
The final traveling team was named on Wednesday after the session with two Azam Uganda Premier league players, Denis Awanyi and Joseph Ochaya (both KCCA F.C).
The rest of the 16 players on the team are foreign based.
The Cranes left by Ethiopian Airlines early Monday morning, had a brief stop over in Addis Ababa before setting foot in Ouagadougou on Thursday at around 1 p.m.
They then held a last training session conducted at the match day venue at 9 p.m on Friday night.
Burkina Faso head coach Paul Duarte looks to Chelsea young player, Bertrand Traore, Jonathan Pitroipa, Charles Kabore, Abdul Razak Traore and Astride Bance as his key players.
The match will be played at 9 p.m (East African Standard time) at the Bienuvenue Stade Du 4-Aout arena.
Head to Head Record:
Uganda Cranes has played Burkina Faso four times.
There are two draws and each side has won once.
In 2005, Uganda held Burkina Faso to a 2 all draw at Nelson Mandela National Stadium before losing 2-0 in 2-2 in Ouagadougou.
The other draw was the 0-0 stalement in an international build up match.
Uganda Cranes only win over the Stallions came at the 2014 CHAN finals when striker Yunus Sentamu scored an incredible brace in South Africa.
The match will be handled by Egyptian match referees headed by Ghead Grisha as the center referee.
Uganda Cranes Team In Burkina Faso:
Goalkeepers: Dennis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Robert Odongkara (St George, Ethiopia)
Defenders: Denis Iguma (Al-Ahed, Lebanon), Isaac Isinde (St George, Ethiopia), Joseph Ochaya (KCCA, Uganda), Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Al Shorta, Iraq), Timothy Awanyi (KCCA, Uganda)
Midfielders: Mike Azira (Colorado Rapids, US), Khalid Aucho (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Moses Oloya, Tonny Mawejje (Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur, Iceland), William Luwagga Kizito (Feirense, Portugal), Godfrey Walusimbi (Gor Mahia), Farouk Miya (Standard Liege, Belgium)
Forwards: Geofrey Massa (Bloemfontein Celtics, South Africa), Emmanuel Okwi (Sonderjsyke, Denmark), Hamis ‘Diego’ Kiiza (Simba, Tanzania)
Burkina Faso Team:
Abdoulaye Soulama (Hearts of Oak, Ghana), Daouda Diakite (Free State Stars FC, (South Africa), Koffi Kouakou (ASEC d’Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire), Bakary Kone (Olympique Lyonnais, France), Yago Steeve (Toulouse, France), Abdoul Aziz Kabore ( Valenciennes, France), Bakary Sare (Guimarães, Portugal), Abdoul Razak Traore Konyaspor (Turkey), Alain Traore (Lorient FC, (France), Aristide Bance (Chippa United, South Africa), Charles Kabore (FC Krasnodar, Russia), Bakary Kone (Dibba Al Fujayira, UAE), Jonathan Zongo (Almeria, Spain), Yacouba Mando (Kozaf, Burkina Faso), Issouf Dayo (RC Berkane, Morocco), Préjuce Nakoulma (Mersin Idmanyurdu Sport Klubu, Turkey), Issa Gouo (ASFA, Ghana), Jonathan Pitroipa (AL Nasr, Dubai), Bertrand Traore (Chelsea, England), Patrick Malo (JS Kabylie, Algéria), Adama Guira ( Sonderjyske (Denmark), Cyrille Bayala (Daklyeh, Egypt), Cyrille Kpan (USFA (Burkina Faso), Yacouba Coulibaly (RCB, Burkina Faso) and Banou Diawara ( JS Kabylie, Algéria)
Match Officials:
Match Referee: Ghead Grisha (Egypt)
Assistant Referee 1: Tahssen Abo El Sadat Bedyer (Egypt)
Assistant Referee 2: Ahmed Taha Hossam (Egypt)
Reserve Referee: Mahmoud Zakria El Banna (Egypt)
Commissioner: Jammeh E.K Bojang (Gambia)
