CECAFA: No pressure for Uganda

BY GILBERT WANDERA

Uganda Cranes coach Milutin Sredojevic says his side will not be under pressure to retain the regional Senior Challenge Cup when they begin their title defence campaign against neighbours Rwanda at Machakos Municipal Stadium today.

With 14 regional titles under their belt, the Cranes are the team to beat this year but the Serbian insists the pressure is elsewhere.

“We only have three players who were in the team that won last year’s edition at home. Our main target is to retain the trophy or go as far as possible.

“We are not under any pressure. The pressure is high especially on hosts Kenya who will be playing before their fans. Other teams like Tanzania and Rwanda will also be under pressure because they have brought their main squads for this competition,” he pointed out.

The coach, fondly referred to as Micho, said he is in Nairobi to build a squad that is capable of putting up a good performance during next year’s Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) in South Africa.

The tournament is reserved for home-based players who make up the bulk of this Uganda Cranes squad.

“We are using the tournament as part of our preparations for CHAN and have therefore opted to focus mostly on home based players. We want to give them an arena to start the revival of Uganda football and qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco after 37 years of trying,” said the coach.

The coach is not unfamiliar with Rwanda, having handled the Amavubi Stars just a few months ago something that may give him an advantage this afternoon.

Kenyan based players Dan Sserunkuma, Khalid Aucho and Hamisi Kiiza will be looking to make their maiden appearance for Uganda Cranes and what better way to do it against a team that enjoys a long standing rivalry with the regional champions.

The Amavubi Stars will also be looking for a positive start to the competition and beating Uganda will be an awesome way to kick-start their title ambition.

The second match this afternoon at Machakos Stadium will be between Eritrea and Sudan.

Eritrea coach  Omar Ahmed says the team remains determined to get to the next stage of the competition despite being in a tough group.

The team is one of the few that has brought in professional players perhaps an indication of just how serious they are taking the competition.

Among the foreign based players in the squad include two Setak Beyynic and Haven Birhane  who play for division three sides in England, Hayie Gayton and Suraf Abraha who play in Sudan as well as Yonathan Selemom who play in Saudi Arabia.

Ahmed said they have a young squad which is determined to have a good performance this year as well as looks to a brighter future by building on their great form.