Tanzania, Uganda must win to keep FIFA World Cup qualification hopes alive

The national teams of Tanzania and Uganda are the only sides with a chance in the CECAFA region to advance to the next stage of the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers.

Taifa Stars of Tanzania are currently top of Group J with 7 points, and a better goal difference than second placed Benin who also have the same number of points.

After picking a hard earned win away to Benin, the Taifa Stars should be at their best and work hard to pick maximum points when they host the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

“We need to be at our best and make sure we take our chances. We also need to be very cautious and defend well,” said Tanzania’s head coach Kim Poulsen.

The Ugandan Cranes who picked two wins against Rwanda in the last games to improve their chances in Group E will also hope to use home advantage when they host arch-rivals Kenya on Thursday at the St. Marys Kitende Stadium, Kitende.

Uganda who have 8 points and two points behind table leaders Mali who will play away to Rwanda’s Amavubi in Kigali. The Rwanda team are yet to pick any win in the qualifiers.

But Uganda’s coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic made it clear that matches between Uganda and Kenya are always tough encounters. “ First, we want to focus on the do or die game against Kenya before thinking of the away game to Mali,’ said Sredojevic. Victory for Uganda will give them a chance going into the last away game against Mali.

Ethiopia who are out of contention in Group G will hosts the Black Stars of Ghana at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. Ethiopia only have 3 points, while South Africa top the table with 10 points, one ahead of Ghana.

On Friday two other teams from the CECAFA region will also be in action as Djibouti take on Algeria in a Group A match at the Cairo Stadium in Egypt, while Sudan will take on Group I table leaders Morocco at the the Prince Mpoulay Abdellah Complex in Rabat.