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Uganda face familiar foes Ghana in emotional return
A preview of the AFCON 2017 Group D opener between the Black Stars of Ghana and the Cranes of Uganda
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It was in 1978.
It was also the final of that years Africa Cup. Ghana won 2-0 to seal their third African title.
Uganda have had to wait 37 years to play at another AFCON, and their return this year in Gabon couldn't have been more poetic, with a fixture against none other than Ghana.
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Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic's men are unbeaten in three games against the Black Stars and will be hoping they continue to be a problem for Avram Grant's men when Group D's opener kicks off at the Stade de Port Gentil at 16:00GMT on Tuesday.
For Ghana, it will be business as usual: they have played in the last five AFCONs, placing within the first four on each occasion, including a Runners-Up finish in the last edition two years ago in Equatorial Guinea. Coach Avram Grant, whose contract expires after this tournament, has been tasked by the Ghana Football Association to win the trophy, and so a faulty start is something the Israeli cannot afford.
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For Uganda, who are coincidentally in the same 2018 World Cup qualifying Group with Ghana, this game presents an opportunity to prove that they much celebrated return to the biggest stage in African football isn't a fluke. Zambia FA President Kalusha Bwalya believes a win is of the essence for Micho's men. “Uganda needs not to lose the first match. If they can at least draw the first, then they can have a clearer picture of what to do next."
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Tony Mawejje, one of the key players of the Ugandan side, believes he and his teammates owe a duty to the teeming fans back home to celebrate their return with a win against Ghana. “We know that the entire country is behind us and this is an historic opportunity for some of us who have been in the squad for so long. We don’t want to leave with regrets so the only thing to do is to give our alls to fulfill the expectations of our fellow Ugandans,” the 29-year-old told Uganda's Daily Monitor.
Meanwhile, Avram Grant says that the Ghana team are ready to make some lemonade out of the lemon of pressure that is on them to deliver. "A lot of people talk about pressure but we do not see it as a negative word. I believe pressure is good and lets you perform," he said.
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"You will see a team that will give everything on the pitch. I know my players better than I did two years ago and they are a good group of players with a will to serve."
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Micho, on the other hand, admits that though "Ghana has the edge", his charges have what it takes to pull off a win. “We have come from so far and are looking forward (to the Ghana match). We have the belief and know what is at stake," he told the Daily Monitor. “The opening match of any competition is very, very important. We must enter the tournament with full power because what is before us now is Ghana. We will not think about Egypt and Mali; all we are planning and thinking for is Ghana.”
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