Coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic’s Uganda Cranes team started with a 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso in a Group B tie of the on-going CAF African Nation Championship (CHAN) at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday.
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Youngster Junior Yunus Sentamu scored a goal in each half to silence the Burkina Faso team. He netted early in the 15th minute after a defensive lapse gave him room to round the goalkeeper and slot in an empty net.
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The SC Vipers striker was on target again in the 72nd minute after finishing off a well taken cross by substitute Francis Olaki. The second goal rested at the top left corner of the net to drive over 200 Ugandan fans in the stands wild.
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But later in the 89th minute the Cranes were punished for poor defending off a corner kick that gave Cyrille Bayala a chance to pull one back.
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The Cranes, who lost all their three matches in the 2011 CHAN event, gave a very good account of themselves in the first half, before the West Africans returned strongly to pile pressure early in the second half.
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Pulling out a tired Vincent Kayizzi paid off for the Uganda Cranes as they became more aggressive and played with purpose. Aboubacar Traore had three shots at goal, but the Ugandan goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan saved on all occasions.
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Cranes skipper Dennis Iguma should have made it 3-0 in the 77th minute, but Burkina Faso’s goalkeeper Mohamed Kabore was quick to clear the ball.
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“I am happy to score my first goals ever in a national team jersey,” the 19-year old Uganda Cranes goal scorer Sentamu told Supersport.com after the match.
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The Cranes now lead Group B after Morocco and Zimbabwe settled for a barren draw in an earlier match.
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1 Comment
Great win for Uganda. Burkina Faso will have to do better in their next game.