Cranes Look To West Africa For Tests

[Folami David]

Uganda are eying some friendly matches before they face Senegal in a definitive World Cup qualifier in September.
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The Cranes must beat the Lions of Teranga to progress to the play-offs of the 2014 WC qualifiers while the latter can advance with just a draw.
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This match will be played at neutral ground in Conakry, Guinea as Senegal, the would-have-been hosts, are still serving their one-year ban from playing at home following crowd violence in a 2013 Afcon qualifier against Ivory Coast.
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Uganda trail Senegal, who lead Group J standings with nine points, by one and nothing less than victory will help them.
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And the local federation, Fufa, know the huge task the national team come up against, the reason they are looking to crack up some friendlies ahead of the tie.
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"As Fufa we are working around the clock to secure some games before Senegal but we are not just looking for any friendlies," said Edgar Watson, the Fufa CEO, in Kampala.
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"We shall try to secure friendlies that will help the Cranes more directly; we shall look to countries that play the Senegal way, countries from West Africa." Watson resisted the temptation to disclose the exact countries in West Africa they are talking to.
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The first leg between Uganda and Senegal in Kampala ended 1-1 with Godfrey Walusimbi getting the hosts' equalizer at the death after Papiss Demba Cisse, who will miss the return through suspension, had put the visitors ahead.