Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) have confirmed that their national team, The Cranes, will arrive in Asaba, Delta State on Monday, November 19, some 24 hours before they battle Nigeria’s Super Eagles in an international friendly.
Footballllive.ng reports that the match, which is billed for Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba on Tuesday, November 20, will be the second of such between both sides in the spate of three years.
Back in 2015, The Cranes shocked their hosts with a 1-0 spanking at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and would love to get an encore in Asaba.
A huge boost for the Ugandans is that many of Nigeria’s regulars might not be available for the game, as it comes up three days after the Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations decisive qualifier away to South Africa on November 17 in Johannesburg.
Three home-based players have already been placed on stand-by by Eagles’ coach, Gernot Rihr, as to suggest that they could fill in for any other the key players who opt out of the friendly in Asaba.
However, FUFA communications manager, Ahmed Hussein is quite optimistic of a crunchy clash with Nigeria, in a game that also comes up after The Cranes engage Cape Verde in an AFCON 2019 qualifier at home in Namboole Stadium, Kampala.
Hussein, whose country shocked Nigeria in the AFCON 1978 semi-finals in Ghana, enthused: “Both nations will field their A teams.
“Matches between these two soccer giants have always been so close since time immemorial.
“A 30-man contingent will depart on November 18 for the trip to Nigeria (an arrive early the following day).
“The foreign-based players in the contingent will then connect to their respective clubs after the friendly.”
