Yasser Kalyango
11 October 2006
Bamako — Niger coach impressed; Fufa boss Mulindwa rewards players with $200 each
Niger's Togo born tactician Tchanille Bana has tipped Uganda to qualify for the Ghana 2008 African Nations Cup ahead of Nigeria.
The Uganda Cranes suffered a multitude of dubious refereeing from Senegalese match official Abdoul Diouf Samba, but drew 0-0 to move to second spot in Group 3 of the qualifiers, behind the Super Eagles of Nigeria who beat Lesotho 1-0.
Bana, who guided Togo to the 2002 Nations Cup finals Mali, has been in charge of Niger for the last three years.
He said that the ball is in Uganda's hands and that if they keep steam, there isn't any reason why they should not top the group.
"Uganda plays very good football. I am the only person in Niger who knew something about Uganda before the game and I always told my players about the Cranes. I am not surprised that they snatched a point," he said.
Bana was coach to the Togo side that beat Uganda 3-0 at Nakivubo Stadium in 2001. He told Daily Monitor that he knows the potential of Nigeria and if Uganda plays with a similar strategy like it did in Niamey, the result in Lagos against Nigeria might be even better.
"It just a matter of concentration. There is no reason to panic and I do believe you can even go past the Super Eagles, there is no weak team in modern football," he said.
Meanwhile, Fufa President Lawrence Mulindwa gave each Cranes player US $200 or Shs370,000 as a token of appreciation for the effort they displayed to snatch a point in Niger.
"This is just to say thank you and as I told you, better things will come with time," Mulindwa told the players at Hotel Tenere in Niamey on Monday.
The national team returns today aboard Kenya Airways. The team that will be without David Obua who will connect direct to Johannesburg via Nairobi, will touch down at Entebbe Airport at 8.30 a.m.
Sports Minister Charles Bakkabulindi will be chief guest at a luncheon to honour the players at Regency Hotel.
MTN, Samona and City Tyres have been invited to attend the luncheon.
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