Uganda Cranes travel to Nigeria for international friendly

Uganda's national football team, Cranes, on Sunday travelled to Nigeria for an international football friendly against the hosts slated for November 20.

Fresh from defeating Cape Verde 1-0 on Saturday to qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Uganda Cranes will battle the Super Eagels at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, reports Xinhua news agency.

"We are very happy that the team have got this chance to play a high profile team in an international friendly game. Although we have already qualified for 2019 AFCON, these kinds of friendly matches will help us and the players get better," head coach Sebastien Desabre told Xinhua before departure.

In their last international friendly played in 2015, Uganda Cranes shocked Nigeria 1-0 at the Ibo Akwa Stadium.

"I am excited to make the trip to face Nigeria that I have always wanted to face as a player," said Patrick Henry Kaddu, who scored the lone goal against Cape Verde.

The Cranes team however travelled without some of the players who were part of the squad that featured against Cape Verde like skipper Denis Onyango, Farouk Miya, Murushid Juuko together with Joseph Benson Ochaya and Edrisa Lubega who were on the bench as substitutes.

--IANS

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