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Uganda faces tough 2017 AFCON draw

Xinhua, October 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic, Uganda's national football coach, said on Wednesday that it is ready to face Africa's football giants after it was drawn against Egypt, Ghana and Mali in the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) slated for early next year.

"It is a very tough group, but with good planning we can come out of the group and qualify for the next round," the Serbian born coach said.

"We shall make sure that we prepare the team with several build-up games and also have a training camp so that they are ready for the tournament," said Uganda FA Chief Executive Officer, Edgar Watson.

Uganda will open its campaign against Ghana on Jan. 17 in a Group D game that will be held in Port Gentil.

Uganda, Egypt and Ghana are also bracketed in the same group in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying tournament.

The AFCON tournament, which will have 16 teams to compete, runs from Jan. 14-Feb. 5 in four cities in Gabon.

Defending champion Cote d'Ivoire is in Group C alongside with Morocco, Togo and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gabon is in Group A with Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Guinea Bissau, while Group B has Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal and Zimbabwe.

Uganda returns to the AFCON competition after 39 years. In their last appearance in 1978 they lost 2-0 to hosts Ghana in the final. Endit