Confident Stars jet off to Uganda

The national soccer team, Taifa Stars, are expected to leave for Kampala, Uganda today ready for their Saturday`s African Cup of Nations, return leg match against hosts The Cranes at Nakivubo Stadium.

Stars Brazilian coach Marcio Maximo said yesterday that he believed that his team would not be eliminated because he had done enough training to excel.

“We expect to face a big challenge from The Cranes as they will be playing home, they won`t be ready to lose on their own land. My boys are in high spirits of winning even if they are away,“ Maximo said.

He said the absence of his three injured players would not affect the team as he had alternative players already.

He named the players who were nursing injuries as Uhuru Sulemani, Henry Joseph and Abdi Kasim.

Stars captain Nadir Haroub `Canavaro` promised they would win the return leg match. “If we defeated them here, we can also beat them there,“ he said.

Taifa Stars nailed the Cranes 2-0 in the first leg match staged at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza two weeks ago.

Any kind of draw will make them advance to the next stage of the tournament made for domestic players only. Uganda will need to win 3-0 for them to qualify.

The winners of the match will either play Sudan or Rwanda in the next stage.

Meanwhile, The Cranes coach Laszlo Csaba is uncertain as to whether he will have defender Sam Ssenoga and striker Moses Aduni for Uganda`s must-win match against Taifa Stars.

The two have failed to secure passports and Csaba wants the federation to sort their issue promptly. If available, Ssenoga would replace suspended Lawrence Ssegawa who earned a second booking in the Mwanza leg.

Aduni`s firepower is important since Uganda needs three goals.

• SOURCE: Guardian