Uganda hit Eritrea to storm quarters

The Uganda Cranes were good for a treble as they thrashed Eritrea 3-0 to reach the quarterfinals of the GOtv Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup with a game to spare at City Stadium, Nairobi Monday.

Emmanuel Okwi grabbed a brace while Hamis Kiiza netted from the spot as the Cranes joined Group C rivals Sudan, who beat Rwanda 1-0, in the quarterfinals.

The two will have to face off in the final group game on Thursday to determine the table leader, each having scored four goals and accumulated six points from their opening two games.

The Cranes were all over the Red Sea Camels in the first half, Sserunkuma and Okwi more dominant.

Starting his first game after recovering from malaria, Okwi opened the scoring after just nine minutes, tapping in a low cross from an impressive Sserunkuma, who had beaten his man on the right before weighing in one, past Eritrea goalkeeper Abdulahi Abdurahman.

Sserunkuma was at it again, racing onto a long ball from inside his half only to be pushed by an Eritrean player in the box.

The referee pointed to the spot and Kiiza duly converted from six yards on 19 minutes for his first goal of the tournament.

Okwi completed his brace on 38 minutes, tapping in yet another inviting low cross from Man of the Match Sserunkuma, who had run the distance after intercepting a ball from the halfway line.

Sserunkuma himself should have gone on the score sheet but for the cross bar late in the second half denying him.

Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic, however, will have cursed his side’s wastefulness in both halves, Okwi and substitute Joseph Mpande among the culpable.

And they could have been put to the sword had Yonas Selemun, Muner Ahmed, Haben Berhan, Serak Beyene done better with their chances in the second half.

Eritrea were arguably the better side after recess and that should concern Cranes when they come up against better sides, especially that they were facing a team that are yet to score a goal and one that have conceded six times in two games.