Uganda vs Botswana – 7pm (Mandela National Stadium) Buy Tickets here
The Uganda Cranes are set to make a significant statement as they return to the Mandela National Stadium in Namboole for the first time since November 2019, hosting Botswana in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Friday night.
This match marks the Cranes’ first home game in front of their fans in nearly four years. The team, currently tied on points with Botswana in Group G of the qualifiers, aims to make an impactful return.
Uganda’s last appearance at Namboole was a 2-0 victory over Malawi in an AFCON qualifier on November 17, 2019, with goals from Emmanuel Okwi and Fahad Bayo.
In the ongoing qualifiers, the Cranes have had a mixed start, losing 2-1 to Guinea at the Stade Municipal de Berkane before securing a narrow 1-0 win against a 10-man Somalia in Morocco.
Team captain Khalid Aucho will miss the upcoming match due to an injury sustained during his club duties with Yanga SC. Forward Mato Rogers Kassim faced travel difficulties joining the camp, while Bevis Mugabi and Uche Ikpeazu Mubiru withdrew from the squad for personal reasons. Their absences prompted the inclusion of Ronald Otti, Nelson Senkatuka, and Carl James Mujaguzi.
“It’s been difficult to prepare the team, especially as we’ve had to deal with 16 outfield players for almost the entire training session campaign,” Coach Paul Put said during a pre-match press conference. He added, “I was counting on my captain (Khalid Aucho), and now he’s injured. There are always these late setbacks, and you have to react. You have to get the best out of it.”
Botswana, on the other hand, started their Group G campaign with a 3-2 loss to Mozambique before achieving a 1-0 victory against Guinea, both matches held at home in Francistown.
The last encounter between Uganda and Botswana saw the Cranes secure a 2-1 victory in Francistown during the 2017 AFCON qualifiers, with goals from Kizito Luwagga and Khalid Aucho.
