By Angela Bambala Bwalya
Uganda assistant coach Collins Ahumuza is confident the Crested Cranes can beat Zambia’s Copper Queens for a second time and secure their place in the next round of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualifiers.
Uganda travel to Ndola holding a 2-1 advantage from last Thursday’s first leg in Kampala, but Ahumuza insists her side will approach Tuesday’s return fixture at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium with the intention of winning again rather than simply protecting their lead.
“Going into tomorrow’s game, having won the game at home, we’re still prepared to win the game in Zambia. We hope that God will favour us and we’ll be able to win against the Copper Queens,” Ahumuza said.
The change from the artificial turf used in Kampala to the natural grass at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium is unlikely to alter Uganda’s approach, with the assistant coach confident her players can adapt to different playing conditions.
“For us, it’s not about what condition we’ll be playing in. We set our minds to win games, and we prepare the players to win on either artificial turf or natural grass,” she said.
Ahumuza also dismissed suggestions that Uganda could struggle to reproduce their home form on the road, pointing to the team’s previous success away from home as evidence of their ability to deliver under pressure.
“I think we are good travellers. I don’t know why you think otherwise, but we believe we are good travellers. We managed to take a win from the Under-20, and I think we’ll still manage to take a win from the Copper Queens,” she said.
The Ugandan technical bench has also worked on its tactical approach ahead of the return leg, with Ahumuza expressing satisfaction with the preparations that helped her side secure victory in the opening encounter.
“Attacking the game last week in Kampala, I would say we prepared our tactics well and managed to perform the way we did. We’ve practised and prepared to win the match as well,” she said.
Despite Uganda’s advantage, Ahumuza was reluctant to draw too much confidence from previous results, insisting that Tuesday’s contest would ultimately determine whether her team could maintain its winning momentum.
“We do not want to rely more on history. Let’s wait for the game tomorrow, and we’ll see what we’ll be able to bring,” she said.
The Crested Cranes need only avoid defeat to advance, while Zambia must win to overturn the deficit and keep their Olympic qualification hopes alive.
With home support expected to rally behind the Copper Queens in Ndola, Uganda will be looking to withstand the pressure and turn their first-leg advantage into a place in the next round of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualifying campaign.
