Bright Stars vs. Uganda Cranes 2:2
Uganda Crane’s Kizito Luanda scored the first goal after six minutes, giving his team confidence. South Sudan’s Bright Stars equalised after twenty-four minutes, when Richard Justin scored by penalty.
The supporters of the Ugandan Cranes and the Bright Stars.
The audience witnessed instability among the Ugandan Cranes after Okaya Joseph had to leave the field. The Ugandan player received a red card due to misconduct with the referee, just after the Birght Stars’ first goal.
However, Ogwang Julius led the Ugandan Cranes back into the game, scoring the second goal for his team. The Bright Stars managed to equalise again, just a minute before the end of the first half, by a ‘superstar goal’ scored by James Joseph.
Though the Ugandan Cranes dominated the second half of the friendly match, the team was not able to score another goal. Thanks to the Bright Stars’ goalkeeper Juma Jenaro, who received a $200 award for defeating several attempts by the Ugandan Cranes, the game ended 2:2.
The Bright Stars’ Serbian coach Zoran Djordjevic.
I am happy, yes! Though they [the Bright Stars] neither performed bad nor good,” Emanuel Sala, one of the Bright Stars supporters said. I wanted them [the Bright Stars] to win the match. What I liked about the game is that we have not lost.”
Zoran Djordjevic, the Serbian Bright Stars’ coach, explained his team still needs a lot in order to preform well in international games.
They need support from us: medical, nutrition, facilities and many other things to activate them into a serious training and to enable them to compete very well in international football matches,” Zoran said.
The friendly match that took place just one day after South Sudan marked its first independence anniversary was the first of its kind for the Bright Stars, Cirino Hiteng, the South Sudanese Youth and Sports Minister told The Niles.
The Youth and Sports Minister Cirino Hiteng. He explained that, it is a test of muscles” for the Bright Stars and allows the team to assess how they can compete in international football games.
The match was attended by many of South Sudan’s senior government officials and the Juba football stadium was crowded with thousands of people who turned up to witness the match.
Cirino Hiteng, the South Sudanese Youth and Sports Minister, Presidential Advisor on Special Affairs and Anyanya One veteran, Joseph Lagu and the government Spokesperson Barnaba Marial Benjamin were some of the key guests watching the soccer game.
