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Last Updated: Friday, 26 March, 2004, 15:28 GMT
Ethiopia angry with match timing
By Andrew Jackson Oryada
BBC Sport, Kampala

Uganda's team
Uganda's game is at a different time from Morocco's

Ethiopia have complained that their Olympic qualifier against Uganda will not be played at the same time as the other Group C match between Morocco and Angola in Rabat.

Fifa had initially ruled that the two crucial Group C games for the Athens Olympics be played at the same time.

The group is delicately balanced ahead of the final group games.

Angola, Ethiopia and Morocco all have a chance of claiming a place at the Summer Olympics.

Angola top the group with 10 points, Ethiopia are in second spot with nine points while Morocco are in third place with eight.

Morocco's home tie against Angola is due to kick off in the evening but Uganda cannot play their match at that time because they cannot afford to use the stadium lights.

"We cannot afford to have the game played under floodlights, so Fifa have allowed us to play it earlier," said Haruna Mawanda, the general secretary of the Federation of Ugandan Football Associations (Fufa).

Ethiopia must beat Uganda and hope that Morocco win or draw against the Angolans if they are to earn passage to Athens.

But should Uganda beat Ethiopia, a win over Angola will give Morocco an Olympic ticket.

"It is unfortunate the game in Morocco will be played after ours," said Ethiopia coach Seyoum Abate.

"We know the type of game the Ugandan team plays, so we shall go for quick goals."

However the Ugandan team, with only one point from their qualification campaign, are determined to finish on a high and ruin Ethiopia's chances of qualifying.

"We need to finish the campaign with a win in front of our fans," said the Uganda coach Charles Namakoola.


SEE ALSO
Nigeria foster Olympic dream
14 Mar 04  |  African
Cameroon close to Athens
12 Mar 04  |  African
Olympic round-up
23 Feb 04  |  African
2004 Olympics
27 Feb 03  |  African



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