Fixture:
Sunday, July 3@6pm:
Senegal v Uganda Crested Cranes
The stage is set. The Uganda Crested Cranes’ players are raring to go. And the clock is ticking faster than ever to Sunday (July 3)’s crunch-time kick-off against Senegal.
For the home fans far away from Rabat, the Moroccan capital, will be glued to their TV sets on Sunday evening (6pm in Uganda) to watch the Crested Cranes opening game at this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Finals.
It’s a game that the Crested Cranes, back to WAFCON Finals after 21 years, must win to emphasize their return to the big stage.
“We are ready for the tournament. The team is full of confidence,” team coach George Lutalo declared on Friday, July 1 after the Crested Cranes held their first training session in Rabat.
The Crested Cranes flew into Rabat on Thursday night after demolishing Zambia 5-0 in their last pre-tournament warm-up match.
Lutalo is confident his players will continue with the form that has seen the team go unbeaten in over 20 games and they garnered major successes such as winning the regional CECAFA championship title along the way.
However, on paper, the Crested Cranes have a lot of work to do in Group A that consists of hosts Morocco, Senegal and Burkina Faso. Ranked at 156 by world football body, FIFA, the Crested Cranes fade in the shadows of highly-rated Morocco (77th) and Senegal in 89th position.