Murushid Juuko to Miss Cranes Clash Against Egypt

Uganda international defender Murushid Juuko has been ruled out for Sunday’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group A final game against Egypt.

Juuko suffered a hamstring injury during the first match against DR Congo and only returned to training on Saturday after resting for some days but doctors have ruled that he will not be fit for the game.

“Juuko has a hamstring injury, did the scan and we were told he must rest for ten days so we won’t have him tomorrow,” said Cranes coach, Sebastien Desabre.

Desabre denied that they had rushed Juuko back to play when he was not fully fit as the Simba SC player had just recovered from a sprained ligament under the right knee during one of the pre-AFCON friendlies.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “He was declared fit to play in the tournament and this is a different injury as this one is a hamstring injury while the previous one was a sprain on the right knee.”   [/perfectpullquote]

Egypt will also play the game without their second choice custodian Mahmoud Gennesh, who has been ruled out of the competition after rupturing his achilles tendon during a training session on Friday.

The Pharaohs will now continue the competition with only two goalkeepers, namely Al Ahly’s Mohamed El-Shennawy and Ahmed El-Shennawy of Pyramids FC.

The game will be played at 2200hrs EAT at Cairo International Stadium where a win for Uganda will take them top of Group A ahead of Egypt.

Egypt will be looking to win as that keeps them playing at the same Cairo International Stadium until the final which is logistically easy for the national team supporters.