Ethiopia pose threat to Uganda Cecafa dreams
Revenge On The Cards? Aregash Kalsa Tadesse (L) will lead the Ethiopian attack against Crested Cranes who will be hoping that Margaret Kunihira can dictate pace from the middle of the pack in today’s semifinal due in Njeru. PHOTOS /JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
- A rollercoaster of emotions with revenge always on the cards. And are hardly won until the final whistle as those who will watch the 2022 Cecafa Women Championship semifinal clash between the sides at Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru this afternoon could yet find out.
Uganda’s women football meetings with Ethiopia are always an edge of the seat affair.
A rollercoaster of emotions with revenge always on the cards. And are hardly won until the final whistle as those who will watch the 2022 Cecafa Women Championship semifinal clash between the sides at Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru this afternoon could yet find out.
At Cecafa 2016, Hasifah Nassuna had to score in a rare 4-1 loss to Ethiopia in the semifinals to finish as top scorer. At Cecafa 2018, Grace Aluka and Yudaya Nakayenze scored deep into the second half to cancel Birtukan Ware’s late first half effort in a 2-1 win for Uganda.
2019 was more intriguing. The sides first met in April in the Caf Olympic qualifiers’ in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia scored early through Aisha Namukisa’s 13th minute own goal then stretched the lead with goals in the last quarter of the second half to make it 3-0. It should have been dead and buried but two stoppage time goals facilitated by Hasifah Nassuna ensured the first leg ended 3-2 then Loza Abera’s lone goal at Lugogo sealed the 4-2 aggregate win for Ethiopia.
The sides made again six months later at the Cecafa tourney in Tanzania and Fauzia Najjemba’s lone goal sealed a 1-0 win for Uganda.
Last year, the sides were again drawn in the first round of the Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers. Uganda won 2-0 at home through goals from Riticia Nabbosa and Najjemba then lost by the same result away owing to goals from Senaf Wakuma and Abera. Uganda, however, won the eyesore shootouts 2-1. But just after that, Najjemba was on the shock losing end with the U-20 national team Queen Cranes as Ethiopia came from 2-0 down at halftime to win the age group tie and championship in Njeru 3-2.
The instigator of that November 2021 win coach Firew Hailegebral, is now the man in the driving seat of Ethiopia’s senior women’s national team Lucy. “We are here to win the championship,” Hailegebral, who has proved to be good at adapting to whatever his opponents throw at him, confidently said.
He must have retold the U-20 story to his players a couple of times now to build their fighting spirit. However, nine of those already know as they have just been promoted to the national team.
Soak the pressure
Uganda have until now played eye-catching football that has endeared coach George Lutalo and his players to the partisan crowd rallying them. But the 4-1 Group A win over Burundi flattered the display of his starting 11. Both teams made changes to the teams that had secured early semifinal berths against Rwanda and Djibouti. But lone destructive pivot Joan Nabirye was exposed and booked early, in a midfield that had Riticia Nabbosa and Hasifah Nassuna, hence being taken off at halftime. Lutalo might need a double pivot to soak some of Ethiopia’s attacking pressure but whoever he chooses to partner Nassuna and Nabirye in midfield must put up a disciplined show.
Tanzania favourites
Meanwhile, in the other semifinal, Tanzania will hope they found their scoring boots in the 12-0 massacre of Zanzibar that allowed them top Group B ahead of Ethiopia. The previous games against Ethiopia and South Sudan had depicted a side struggling for composure. They should also be boosted by Clara Cletus Luvanga and coach Bakari Shime, who were expected to join camp.
