International Friendly Matches:

Cranes Vs Sao Tome & Principe – 4:45 pm

  • Tuesday, 27th March 2018 – Uganda Cranes Vs Malawi – 4:45 pm

*Both matches at Mandela National Stadium (Entry Fees: 5000/- per match)

By Denis West

Few Ugandans have heard or read about today’s Cranes opponents Sao Tome and Principe.That doesn’t lower their passion for the national team and you would expect them to throng Namboole in droves to watch a rare ‘one sided walloping’.

For Cranes head coach Sebastien Desabre this is the easiest fixture he would have prayed for to make the long awaited bow.

To do this seemingly effortless job, the Frenchman as majority professionals at his disposal and he has stated his immediate objectives and targets going into the match. 

“It is important to play several games before the crucial game against Tanzania (in September). I chose two games at home with the same conditions to check the atmosphere on the field and out.

The first time is for the boys to learn my principals and the evaluation of the players to choose the final players for the official game,” the 41 year old coach told the media before Saturday’s game.

He oversaw the local based Cranes’ double loss to Zambia and Namibia plus a draw against Ivory Coast in the Chan tourney  which has prompted him to try out the foreign based players against the West African Island nation and Malawi on Tuesday.

“This is my first time with the senior team and I want to use these two forthcoming friendly matches to know the ability of each player ahead of African Cup of Nation’s Qualifier games against Tanzania and Lesotho later this year,” Desabre revealed via Fufa website.

England based defender Bevis Mugabi, Masavu forward Abraham Ndugwa and Zambia based duo Hood Kawesa, Fahad Bayo are expected to get their debuts against a Sao Tome side that is winningless in seven consecutive matches. Desabre’s predecessors Milutin Micho Sredojevic and Moses Basena tried their best to keep Uganda Cranes home run intact and you would he is set for winning start at Fortress Namboole – with a big margin.