As pressure mounts for African Confederation Cup (AFCON) qualifications, comparable pressure is also being landed on the new coaches. In effect, their new tactics have to be seen to be bearing results.
AFCON 2019 will be hosted by Cameroon. They have a new coach, Clarence Seedorf, 42, a former Dutch international, who signed a four-year contract. He will have his first match as the Cameroon’s head coach assisted by Patrick Claivat, who replaces Hugo Bruce. Bruce won them Cameroon a trophy in 2017.
Seedorf grabbed the deal from Severino Glaricoson, who had failed to reach an agreement with Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) in Cameroon. Cameroon will face the Comoros tomorrow, Saturday, at 3:00 p.pm.
Egypt, too, has a new coach, Javier Agurre. He faces Niger at 9 p.m., in Alexandria. The former coach, Egypt’s Ecta Coupa, was dropped after he had performed poorly in Russia 2018 World Cup.
Uganda’s Sebastian Desabre and Tanzania’s Emmanuel Amunike, also new national team coaches, are to face each other in their first match at Namboole Stadium at 4p.m, tomorrow, Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Uganda Cranes, who are topping Group L with three points will face Tanzania’s Taifa Stars, who failed to win their opener, and are lying second. The Cranes started their AFCON campaign in the group on a high note after beating Cape Verde by a lonely goal by striker, Geoffrey Sserunkuma.
Taifa Stars lost to minnows Lesotho. Mbwana Samatta, had given his side a deserved lead in the 28th minute, but seven minutes later, Thapelo Tale, made it even after defensive lapses.
Desabre is to lead with Simba Soccer Club’s Emmanuel Okwi, who has scored 19 goals in 57 appearances for the national team. Derrick Nsibambi, who made his debut last year, is another player to watch, considering the fact that he has scored six goals in just 16 outings for the Cranes.
Taifa Stars manager, Amunike, is to lead with Mbwana Samatta. Mbwana has been on fine form and was on target against Lesotho. He has scored 16 goals in 44 appearances for the national team and will be aiming to add more this Saturday
Tanzania will be lacking six of their key players: Erasto Nyoni, Jonas Mkude, Shiza Kichuya, Hassan Dilunga, Shomari Kapombe, John Bocco and Feisal ‘Fei Toto’ Salum – who were banned by Coach Amunike, from this encounter, for reportedly failing to report to camp in time.
Uganda Cranes have scored 22 goals in their last 13 matches against Tanzania, conceding just nine in the process. Mamelodi Sundowns’ Denis Onyango has been the source of inspiration for the team and he will be targeting a second clean sheet, between the goal posts.
