Uganda Cranes meet hosts Tanzania

By James Waindi in Dar es Salaam

Eleven times regional champions Uganda Cranes will be seeking revenge when they lock horns with reigning champions and hosts Tanzania in one of the semi-finals of this year’s Cecafa Tusker Cup slated for Thursday here at the National Stadium.

It will be a repeat of last year’s semi-final where the hosts beat Uganda on post-match penalties after tying 1-1 during normal time and eventually went ahead to win the title and the local fans here believe that their fate would follow the same path this year despite a slow start to the competition that saw them lose their first match against Rwanda.

Uganda coach Bobby Williamson has declared that a win against Tanzania is their priority, noting it was better to play in the third play-off competition than being eliminated in the quarter-finals or group stages.

"I hate competing in the play-offs. It felt bad last year when we had to curtain raise the final with a fight for the third spot against Ethiopia then spectate while Tanzania played Cote D’Ivore in the final. We don’t want to be in that position again this year and that is our aim as we prepare to face the hosts who beat us at the same stage last year," said Robinson.

Cranes have not been impressive in all their matches in the tournament, but have somehow managed to go past their opponents, but on Thursday they will be facing a stun test from a team that has been growing with confidence after every match.

Cranes were lucky to beat Zimbabwe 1-0 to reach the last four since their opponents exposed them, but were lucky to turn their domination into results. If they play the same way against the champions on Thursday, they may not be as lucky.

Williamson is likely to start with Yanga striker Hamisi Kiiza in the strikers’ role after the danger man reward the tactician’s faith with a goal against Zimbabwe after he had been preferred over Emmanuel Okwi.

Williamson demoted Okwi to the bench despite being Cranes’ top scorer at the tournament with three goals, blaming him of lacking commitment as he looked casual against Burundi, where he wasted three clear chances.

Tanzania, on the other hand, have been improving with every match and their convincing 1-0 win over title favourites Malawi in the quarters have increased the morale in the team that initially experienced dressing room problems.

Coach Boniface Mkwasa promised the locals an early Independence Day gift by beating the Ugandans and reaching the final.

The country will be celebrating their 50th anniversary since gaining independence, on Friday.

"We want to give our fellow Tanzanian’s an early gift for the Independence Day celebrations by qualifying for the final than we will seal the celebrations on Sunday by retaining the title. We started poorly, but the hostile crowd which has been bowing us has made us work harder and I believe no one can now stand on our way," Mkwasa, who himself is a former Tanzanian international player told FeverPitch.