By Administrator,
It was a weekend with mixed results and mixed emotions across East Africa with the biggest story coming from Kigali were Rwanda did the impossible overturning a 2-0 goal deficit away in Africa cup of Nations preliminary qualifiers where Kenya and Tanzania were also knocked out.
Rwanda Sitting on the tenterhooks and not knowing what hit them in Brazaville took a swipe on their opponents with a virtuoso performance in Kigali with two goals by Michel Ndahinduka and Meddie Kagere in a revenge 2-0 win as Amavubi won 4-3 on post match penalties.
Amavubi’s English coach Stephen Constatine masterminded one of the biggest comebacks in African football a coup on the throne of French man Claude Le Roy who was stunned in Kigali when it all looked as easy as job done when his charges beat Rwanda 2-0 at home.
In Mauritania ,Uganda Cranes finished off the business they started in Kampala two weeks ago with a deserved 1-0 win over host Mauritania with Robert Ssentongo scoring the solitary goal do add to the 2-0 win at home in a fantastic 3-0 Aggregate win to give coach Serbian coach Milutin “Micho”a vote of confidence by FUFA.
In Nairobi the story was different as the star studded Harambee Stars heavily tipped by pundits to overturn the 1-0 deficit away in Maseru failed to contain the Crocodiles who huffed and puffed thwarting all attempts as the game ended at 0-0 knocking favourites Kenya out of the competition amid hue and cry from the fans.
Minnows Lesotho ranked 131st and coached by local Seephephe Matete spoiled the party in Nairobi against Kenya ranked 95th leading to the immediate sacking of coach Adel Amrouche and his entire technical bench by the Football Kenya Federation(FKF) President Sam Nyamweya .It was another hearbreak for Kenyan fans as Harambee Stars fell by the wayside in what at first looked like an easy option,Names likes of Macdonald Mariga former Inter Milan,Victor Wanyama -Southampton,Dennis Oliech- Ajjacio,Allan Wanga -El Mereikh,David Ochieng -Al Tawoon did not put fear on Lesotho who proved they were not pushovers.
In Mozambique the story was the same as Tanzania Taifa stars came down tumbling against a very formidable Mozambique side who won 2-1 at home after a 2-2 draw away in Dar Es Salaam to knock out the East Africans.Thiago Machaisse Josemar and Elias Pelembe Dominguez scores at the death of each half while TP Mazembe’s star Mbwana Samatta gave Tanzania the solitary goal as they were knocked out .
Tanzanian coach Mart Nooj finds himself in a quagmire failing to make it to the group stages after recently being appointed to the post from St.George.
GROUP E:Ghana,Togo,Guinea and Uganda
GROUP C:Burkina Faso,Angola,Gabon,Lesotho
GROUP A:Nigeria,South Africa,Sudan,Rwanda
