Cranes Tie for Kumasi

The Uganda Cranes play the crucial group 13 Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Ghana's Black Stars in Kumasi on Sunday, 22 June 2003.

Uganda Cranes players celebrate a goal in a recent friendly with Libya at Namboole. They were hoping to do the same against Rwanda yesterday.

The stadium in the capital Accra is undergoing restructuring following the death of more than 100 fans during the 9 May 2001 league clash between local rivals Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.

A government inquiry ordered a section of the stadium to be closed.

The last time the Kumasi stadium, which has a capacity of 60,000, hosted the Black Stars was two years ago when they beat Lesotho 3-0 in another African Nations Cup qualifier.

Kumasi Stadium, home of Asante Kotoko, is a good hunting ground for the home side.

But the Uganda Cranes are not strangers to the stadium having played their 25 years ago during the 1978 Africa Nations Cup finals.

The Cranes played four matches, three in the group stages and a semi final. They scored a total of 10 goals and let in five.

The matches were against Congo Brazaville (3-1 win), Tunisia (3-1 defeat), Morocco (3-0 win) and the 2-1 win over Nigeria in the semis.

Ghana must beat Uganda in that game to enhance their chances of qualification for a seventh straight Nations Cup. The Black Stars are currently touring 2002 World Cup joint hosts South Korea and Japan for build up matches ahead of the match.