By Steven Kagiri 

2015 AFCON

First leg, Third round

Uganda vs Equatorial Guinea

(To be played on the weekend of 18th–20th July, 2o14)

Uganda will play 2012 quarter finalists Equatorial Guinea in the final preliminary round of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The tie was confirmed after the Cranes beat Madagascar 1-0 on Saturday to progress 2-2 on away goals rule, and Equatorial Guinea edged Mauritania 3-1 on aggregate after a 3-0 victory in Malabo on Sunday.

The winner of  the two-legged ties to be played on July 18-20 and August 1-3 will join four-time champions Ghana, Togo and Guinea in Group E.

‘We shall play a good and competitive team that has a touch of Spanish football,’’ said Micho.

“Equatorial Guinea is a much better team than Madagascar and we know what is at stake. We shall need good preparations and small details will decide the winner over two legs’ added Micho.

Micho’s first assistant Kefa Kisala branded the tie as a tough one but remained adamant of a Cranes win.

‘’We shall have to prepare enough if we are to eliminate Equatorial Guinea,’’ said Cranes assistant coach Kefa Kisala.

‘’Guinea is a tough team and it will give us a tough challenge compared to that of Madagascar but I am certain, we shall overcome them as even our boys are aware of our mission.

Currently in the Coca Cola FIFA rankings, the national team Cranes sit 86^th in the world and 18^th on the continent while the Equatorial Guinea national team the Nzalang lie 113^th in the world and 31^st on the continent.

FUFA and the Cranes technical team will meet soon to discuss and share ideas on the exact date of hosting the first leg that will be played on the weekend of the 18^th-20^th July at Namboole.

The 2012 AFCON quarter finalists will host the return leg a fortnight later.

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