Onyango takes aim at Ghana
Outsiders Uganda confident they can spring a surprise.
Denis Onyango will look to get his 2017 off to a flying start as Uganda take on the Black Stars of Ghana in their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Group D opener in Port Gentil today.
The Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper had an extraordinary time last year, winning the Absa Premiership and Caf Champions League with Masandawana, and helping the Cranes qualify for their first Africa Cup of Nations in 39 years. He capped it off by winning the Confederation of African Football’s Player-of-the-Year Award for those players based on the African continent.
Milutin Sredojevic’s Uganda are outsiders in Group D, which also contains Egypt and Mali, but can surely also draw inspiration from the way Guinea-Bissau and Zimbabwe have already troubled more-fancied opponents.
“Playing for both Sundowns and Uganda Cranes for me … the difference is just the jerseys but the passion to win and motivation all the time is the same. The same applies to Micho (Sredojevic) and Pitso (Mosimane), they are both very passionate and hard working because they don’t give you space to relax as a player and it keeps the players focused,” said Onyango in a recent interview with Egyptian website kingfut.com.
“Yes, it’s a very difficult group with very good teams but football has changed. Small teams can make it difficult for bigger sides … honestly we are the lowest ranked team in the group and we know it will be very difficult.”
Uganda do also have Ghana and Egypt in their 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifying group and did well to hold the Black Stars to a goalless draw in Tamale in October.
“Playing Ghana before doesn’t make it easy because they know we are a difficult team to break down and we have always given them problems, but they have more experience than us at that level so we shall play our normal football and hopefully we get the result,” added Onyango.
Ghana have Orlando Pirates utility player Edwin Gyimah in their squad, though it remains to be seen if he gets a chance to play – Gyimah was the only member of Ghana’s squad that reached the final in 2015 not to feature.
Avram Grant’s Black Stars will need to improve on a dismal start to their Russia 2018 campaign – they drew with Uganda and then lost in Egypt – if they are to make an impression in Gabon.
Uganda, meanwhile, have a few other players that should be familiar to South African fans – striker Geoffrey Massa has had a strong career in the PSL and both he and midfielder Khalid Aucho were on the books of Baroka FC this season.
Striker Geoffrey Sserunkuma, meanwhile, has previously featured up front for Bloemfontein Celtic and Bidvest Wits.
The match could also give Sredojevic another chance to impress officials from the South African Football Association, if they are indeed serious about hiring “Micho” as the next Bafana coach.