Ghana’s group opponents in the qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Egypt and Uganda have lined up friendlies ahead of the start of the campaign in October.
Seven-time African champions Egypt will play Guinea tomorrow (Tuesday, August 30, 2016) at home as they continue with their preparations for the Russia 2018 qualifiers.
The Pharaohs are also set to play another friendly with South Africa on September 6 as their new Argentine coach Hector Cuper puts his team together ahead of those encounters.
Uganda will also play Kenya at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole with the Cranes seeking to be in good shape before they face Ghana in the first of those qualifiers in October.
Coach Cuper has admitted that he has been forced to win all friendly matches ahead of the start of the FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifiers after their recent defeat to Jordan in a similar exercise.
The 1-0 warm-up loss to Jordan at Aswan Stadium was followed by two 2-0 friendly victories over Libya and Burkina Faso but the Egypt FA was not satisfied.
“After losing a previous friendly to Jordan I was subject to intense criticism despite it being just a friendly,” Argentine boss Cuper said at a press conference last Friday.
“After that, I understood that I should be focusing on winning friendly games, even though playing these games is only intended to prepare the team.”
Egypt were drawn in a tight group at the qualifiers’ final round alongside Ghana, Congo and Uganda in June and will kick off their qualifying campaign against Congo on October 3.
The Pharaohs have made only two World Cup appearances, both in Italy in 1934 and 1990 and are desperate for a third to go with their status in the African game.
Tuesday’s meeting between Uganda and Kenya is also meant to fine tune the 1978 losing AFCON finalists ahead of a must win tie against Comoros on Sunday, September 4 with Kenya scheduled to play Zambia in group E on the same weekend – though both have no chance of qualification.
Uganda will face the Black Stars of Ghana in their opening qualifier and will hope these games will build them up ahead of that encounter.
Ghana’s World Cup Qualifying Group Opponents Set-Up Friendlies
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