It’s Do-Or-Die Time for Under 23 Team

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

Majuto Omary

30 April 2011

Here is the biggest question on every soccer fan’s mind: who will have the last laugh between Uganda and Tanzania today?

The two Under-23 sides clash at the National Stadium this evening in their return leg of the All Africa Games qualifiers with the Kobs holding sway after their 2-1 victory in Kampala.However, the Jamhuri Kihwelu lads are no pushovers with the help of an anticipated boisterous home crowd.

The national team, hopes to dispatch the Ugandans in the same style they booted Cameroon out of the race to the 2012 London Games.Cameroon won 2-1 in Yaoundé, but their desire to romp into the next round turned to be a daydream at the 60,000-seater National Stadium. Kihwelu, renowned for his comments and mind games, assured Tanzanians of victory in the regulation time.

Tanzania just needs a 1-0 victory to guarantee their place in the next round while the Ugandans will be trying to protect their lead.”Although we have a small advantage going into the second leg, it’s another 90 minutes in which we have all it takes to turn things around. “My players are brimming with confidence, and we hope to make it to the next stage in style.

“It would be a great achievement for us to advance in two different competitions within a month,” Kihwelu, who hopes to guide the team to the Maputo Games, said.After the first leg match, Kihwelu confronted his counterpart Bobby Williamson and sparked a heated outburst with the former promising hell in Dar es Salaam.

“We squandered many chances in Kampala besides poor refereeing, but we’ve worked on our mistakes and I don’t see how Uganda will survive,” he said.Team skipper Shaban Kado echoed Kihwelu’s words adding that they were in the perfect frame of mind, hoping to record a big-margin win. Carrying a wafer thin 2-1 lead, the Kobs landed here yesterday with the head coach optimistic of carrying the day.

“Tanzania didn’t trouble us that much. We just didn’t take our chances…we’re in top shape to finish what we started,” Williamson said.Uganda’s last trip to Dar-es Salaam yielded no fruits when the senior Cranes side failed to retain the 2009 Tusker Cecafa Cup, losing to Tanzania in the semi-final. They managed to beat the same team 3-2 in a friendly the same year: “The atmosphere will be tense and it won’t be easy,” he added.

AllAfrica – All the Time