Nile Special Cranes regional tour
Saturday result
Kitara Select 1-0 Uganda Cranes
Kitara region Select side prevailed over the Cranes with a 1-0 victory on Saturday in this year’s Nile Special and Airtel Uganda sponsored Cranes regional tour match at the Booma grounds in Hoima.
Vincent Kasoki scored the only goal in the 43rd minute after poor goal keeping from Yasin Mugabi and disastrous game reading by center back John Revita.
Allan Kayiwa let in a cross from far left and Revita failed to deal with the over ball -his main weakness, while an approaching Mugabi collided with opponent to give Kasoki chance to score.
Fresh from Afcon 2019, Allan Kyambadde came close to score in the 32nd minute but his effort went off the post while Yusuf Ssozi’s effort was cleared off the line in the 90th minute.
Kitara region select goal keeper Jamil Kiyimba had the best day on the day between the posts. After a dull first half with less goal scoring chances created, Coach Abdullah Mubiru changed the whole starting XI with exception of Express left back Disan Galiwango.
The new team came with urgency and created more goal scoring opportunities which silenced the massive home crowd that cheered on their side from the first whistle.
Kitara region Select Coach Gama Henry said that his charges played according to game plan and was happy with the result.
“I actually have three players that play in the CHAN if given chance. The boys played to game plan; we compacted the midfield and waited to counter attack which worked for us because we knew they would come to us,” noted Gama, who led Kitara FC to FUFA Big league play off last season.
Kitara region select also held Uganda Cranes to a 2-2 draw during last year’s affair. Cranes interim Coach Abdullah Mubiru was not carried away by the Saturday result but instead picked positives instead.
“We could not play at such a bare and stony surface. All we could do is to release the ball quickly also to avoid injuries. We did not create much goal scoring opportunities but that is what we are going to concentrate on when we get back to training,” noted Mubiru.
The Cranes tour game sponsored by Airtel-Uganda and Nile Special, who are Uganda Cranes sponsors, gave Mubiru’s side a test ahead of their CHAN qualification match against Somalia on July 27 in Djibouti before the return leg a week later in Kampala.
