Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania to wrap up qualification
Uganda, Zimbabwe and Tanzania will be looking to wrap up qualification for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the penultimate round of qualifiers this weekend.
Uganda’s Cranes, who currently top Group L on 10 points, need a point to secure a second consecutive appearance at an AFCON finals after breaking a 38-year finals appearance drought in 2016.
Standing between them and early qualification is a Cape Verde Islands side whom they’ve already beaten away.
Zimbabwe are also group leaders but require the full allotment of points to clinch qualification. The Warriors are in a tricky tie on Sunday, away to a Liberian side who are unbeaten at home. Qualification might just have to be put on ice until the final match at home next year. Tanzania’s early qualification partly depends on the Uganda-Cape Verde match. The Taifa Stars need to win against Lesotho, the whipping boys of the group, so a win should be a foregone conclusion. They then need Uganda to beat Cape Verde to ensure their participation in Cameroon next year. In other matches, perennial finals participants Zambia are in a sticky situation, at the basement of Group K at this late stage of the qualifiers. It’s not all doom and gloom for Chipolopolo, though, as they are just three points behind group leaders GuineaBissau and their destiny is firmly in their hands. A win on Sunday against neighbours Mozambique, and another against Namibia in the final round of qualifiers next year, has them travelling to Cameroon.