Uganda Strikers Miss Nations Cup Qualifier

Uganda will be without key strikers Geoffrey Massa and Brian Umony when they face African champions Zambia in their 2013 Africa Cup of Nations final-round qualifier on Saturday.

The injured pair were not included in coach Bobby Williamson’s squad for the first game of the two-legged knockout tie at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola in Zambia.

Scotland-born coach Williamson said: “We started serious training on Friday and expected all foreign-based players to arrive by yesterday.

The regional Council for East and Central African Football Associations (Cecafa) Senior Challenge Cup champions, Uganda played an international friendly away to Botswana last Sunday, drawing the match 0-0.

And Williamson believes his side can take confidence from that display.

“We hope to build on our away performance which has been improving over time,” he said.

Williamson added that getting a good result in Zambia will be very important,  with the home return leg to come in October.

After knocking out Congo Brazzaville in the first round, Uganda is positive about their chances of beating the African champions and making it to the Nations Cup for the first time since 1978.

Uganda FA President Lawrence Mulindwa hopes the Cranes can follow in the success of Stephen Kiprotich, who won the London 2012 Olympic men’s marathon, to provide a further boost for the country.