Uganda Cranes arrived yesterday morning ready to tackle Ghana's Black Stars in the opening match of the Four Nations Castle Lager Cup which kicks off tomorrow at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The squad of 17 players and four officials jetted in at 10.25am. Assistant coach Leo Adraa warned that the Cranes were not mere participants. "We are as prepared as any other team in this tournament. The boys are raring to go," he said.
Unfortunately, Uganda Cranes have not had ample time to prepare because of the congested Nile Special Super League which has reached a crucial stage. "We could not prepare adequately because of the league commitments but the performance of the players has been closely monitored and this is a strong team," Adraa added.
Asked what chances they had against Ghana, Adraa said, "you don't win a match before playing. We have a 50/50 chance like they do. The only difference is the technical approach," the coach said.
Uganda Cranes have the advantage of not treading on an unfamiliar ground when they play against Ghana. "We have an advantage because in the World Cup and Africa Nations Cup qualifiers, we have been playing against West African countries like Guinea, Senegal and Togo so we have a good grasp on the way they aproach the game," he said.
Adraa added that a typical West African type of play was that of long balls. "They prefer long passes and chasing the ball, an athletic approach as opposed to our playing the ball on the ground. If they did not take us seriously, they could not have called their professionals," he said.
The coach said that they should not be underatted. "Within a few minutes of the start, we should be able to read the game well and know what tactics we will employ. The good thing is that we do not have any stars in this team, they work collectively," he said.
Uganda head coach Harrison Okagbue flew in on Saturday from Nigeria in time to pack his bags and catch the flight to Nairobi.
It is his knowledge of West African football that the Uganda Cranes will be relying on to defeat Ghana.
