The Uganda Cranes face an anxious day, Saturday knowing failure to beat Madagascar to progress to the final preliminary round of the 2015 Nations Cup qualifiers will simply be implausible.
Ranked 103 places below 86th rated Uganda by Fifa, Madagascar arrived in Kampala on Thursday evening buoyant of pulling off a result to see them to the next round. A draw for the Barea will suffice following their 2-1 first leg victory a fortnight ago.
But coach Franck Rajaonarisamba’s side arrive to a stadium Uganda have not lost a game for the last eight years. The Cranes’ last defeat at Namboole came in 2004, then a 1-0 loss to South Africa thanks to a Benni MaCarthy penalty.
And Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic is confident they have done enough since that defeat in Madagascar to see off the Malagasy.
“I believe in these players and we are ready to do anything possible to get a performance and result on Saturday,” he told SuperSport.com ahead of the encounter.
“We are playing against a very good team that has very good individuals. We give them respect, but not too much respect. All players are available for selection and we are spoilt for choice.”
Having recovered from a head injury, experienced Dennis Onyango is expected to replace Ismail Watenga, who had a notable competitive debut in the first leg, in goal.
As it was in the first leg, skipper Andy Mwesigwa is fancied to start with Henry Kalungi in central defence while fullbacks Dennis Guma and Joseph Ochaya will both hope to recover from the nightmare outing they experienced in Madagascar.
Norway-based Tonny Mawejje and Binh Dong’s Moses Oloya both return after missing the first leg through club duty and injury respectively.
Mawejje is expected to take Hassan Wasswa’s place, the latter having struggled in the first leg, while Oloya could push out Martin Mutumba.
Tusker’s Khalid Aucho and Gor Mahia’s Geoffrey Kizito should protect the back four and at the same time ignite Cranes’ push for attack.
Geoffrey Massa, back from injury that ruled him out of the first leg, and Emmanuel Okwi are expected to lead the line but Daniel Sserunkuma and Hamis Kiiza, who scored Uganda’s lone goal away, are in with a strong shout.
Faneva Andriatsima and Carolus Andriamatsinoro scored in the first leg and should lead Madagascar’s attack.
Uganda’s probable line-up
X1: Dennis Onyango, Joseph Ochaya, Andy Mwesigwa, Henry Kalungi, Dennis Guma, Khalid Aucho, Geoffrey ‘Baba’ Kizito, Tonny Mawejje, Moses Oloya, Emmanuel Okwi, Geoffrey Massa
Subs: Ismail Watenga, Isaac Isinde, Hassan Wasswa, Brian Majwega, Hamis Kiiza, Daniel Sserunkuma, Yunus Ssentamu, Kizito Luwagga, Martin Mutumba
Madagascar squad
Goalkeepers: Robin Jean Claude Rakotonirina, Chretien Andriamifehy
Defenders: Thierry Jordan Dupray, Francois Randrianomenjanahary, Olivier Ralaidimy, Fenosoa Ratolojanahary and Herinaina Elysee Randriamanantena
Midfielders: Mickael Rabeson, Lantoniaina Andriamanalina,Henri Charles Gladyson, Paul Johan, Tojo Ramanitrandrasana, Tojo Harijoro Razafindrabe, Dina Fiononana Razanakoto, and Njiva Rakotoharimalala.
Strikers: Carolus Andriamatsinoro Ima Faneva Andriatsima and Baggio Rakotonomenjanahary.
Source: Supersport