CECAFA Women’s Championship | Group stage| Thursday
- Uganda vs Tanzania – 7 PM
As the CECAFA Women’s Championship heads into its final stretch, the Uganda Senior Women’s National Football Team, better known as the Crested Cranes, find themselves at a difficult crossroads.
A matchup against regional powerhouse Tanzania stands between them and a respectable finish, but the stakes couldn’t be higher, nor the opponent tougher.
After suffering two defeats in three group stage games, Uganda’s margin for error has evaporated. Their tournament has been a rollercoaster of inconsistencies and missed chances and now, facing a high-flying Tanzanian side on home soil, the Cranes must summon all their strength to avoid ending on a low.
Head Coach Sheryl Botes knows exactly what’s on the line.
“We have to deal with the pressure because Tanzania has the advantage. They’re the hosts and they’ve been together as a group for a long time,” Botes said.
“It’s going to be a challenge for the girls, but we shall try to respond with a good plan. We have to take our chances and not be scared to play because we have to finish on a high.”
The task ahead is daunting. Tanzania currently tops the five-team group, boasting two wins in as many games.
More impressively, they have scored a staggering 10 goals and are yet to concede. Their dominance in this year’s tournament has only added to their already glowing reputation in the region.
History, too, favours the Kilimanjaro Queens. In their last four meetings with Uganda, Tanzania has emerged victorious three times. The Cranes have only managed one win, a statistic that echoes the challenge ahead.
But football, as the saying goes, is played on the pitch, not on paper. Uganda’s squad, though youthful and still gelling under Botes’ guidance, has shown flashes of promise.
They’ve competed with heart, and with the pressure mounting, the chance to upset the tournament hosts may be the exact spark they need to rewrite their narrative despite their two losses in the three games played.
The day will be kicked off with a fixture between Kenya and South Sudan at 4 PM.
