Pre-CHAN Mini Tournament
Participating Teams: Cameroon, Uganda, Zambia and Niger
Purpose: Preparing for the 2020 Total CHAN Finals kicking off on 16th January 2021 in Cameroon
Venue: Stade Ahamdaou Ahidjo- Yaounde-Cameroon (All matches)
Dates (Uganda Matches)
1st Jan 2021 Uganda vs Cameroon (6pm Local Time, 8pm EAT)
4th Jan 2021 Uganda vs Zambia (4pm Local Time, 6pm EAT)
7th Jan 2021 Uganda vs Niger (4pm Local Time, 6pm EAT)
Uganda Cranes will be out to put into action what they have mastered in the last ten days while in camp ahead of the Pre- CHAN Mini Tournament that kicks off on New Year’s Day in Yaounde, Cameroon.
The Cranes jetted into Cameroon on Tuesday morning this week and have since conducted two training sessions in the build up to tomorrow’s match against the Intermediate Lions (Name for the Cameroon National Football Team of home based players).
Both training sessions were held at one of the reserve grounds outside the Complex of the Main stadium that will host the Opening and Final match of the 2020 Total CHAN.
The organisers have managed to get clearance to use the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo for the Pre- CHAN Mini Tournament.
With 25 players at his disposal in camp and all injury free, Head Coach Johnathan McKinstry is taking every advantage to fine tune his Squad. However he knows the kind of test the three teams will provide to his players before they start negotiating the journey to Doula for the start of the CHAN Tournament.
Johnathan McKinstry speaks out
Beauty about players playing in CHAN
The nature of winning or doing well at CHAN is that the number of players get opportunities to go and play outside of their domestic leagues.
About Uganda Cranes ahead of CHAN Finals
We just have to be in the best conditions because we know North African teams have not done well at CHAN but we expect them to be difficult opponents because their clubs go deeper and feature in CAF Champions League’ Morocco is one of Uganda’s three opponents in Group B of the CHAN Finals in Cameroon.
Uganda Cranes players training on Wednesday morning
Uganda vs Cameroon in Friday’s opener of the Pre-CHAN Tournament
It is two contrasting preparations. Obviously for us we got the players a week ago but connectivity needs to be worked on. We also had the 5 rounds of action which our opponents have not had the league action since March but have played 4-5 buildup matches in the last three weeks.
Goalkeeper Nafian Alionzi on CHAN and the Pre- CHAN Mini Tournament
‘As a team we are ready for the task coming ahead. We shall take game per game to get out of the group stage. The energy is good. We have prepared and the team is up to the task. With the chances and forces we have as a team, we shall make it through the group stages’
