South Sudan moves AFCON qualifier against Uganda to Kenya

NAIROBI, March 6 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan will play its 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Uganda in Nairobi on March 31 and not in Khartoum.

Renovation works at the Juba National Stadium have forced South Sudan to shop elsewhere for a neutral venue for its home matches.

Victor Lawrence Lual, an official with the South Sudan Football Federation, told reporters in Nairobi on Friday that they settled on Nyayo Stadium.

"Al Hilal Stadium is undergoing rehabilitation until March 28. We are informed that it will then host Sudan's game against Ghana. We have therefore chosen Nyayo Stadium for our game against Uganda," said Victor Lual.

South Sudan's senior team, The Bright Stars, lost 1-0 away to Malawi and fell 2-1 at home in the second game against Burkina Faso in the group B campaign for the 2021 AFCON finals in Cameroon. Uganda leads the pool with four points, with a superior goal aggregate over Burkina Faso, who is second with the same number of points.

The Malawi Flames is third with three points, while South Sudan is yet to register a point. The best two teams from each group will qualify for the 2021 AFCON.

South Sudan is expected to travel to Kampala for the first leg of the match against Uganda on March 28. They will then cross the border to Kenya and host their rivals in Nairobi three days later.

It will be the first international match that Nyayo stadium will host after it too went under renovation and has been closed for two years. The stadium has since been completed.

South Sudan is coached by Ashu Cyprian Besong.

"We are not taking anything for granted because we know these two matches against Uganda are very important for us since we have not yet won a match in the qualifiers," Besong told Confederation of African Football (CAF). Enditem