The Uganda Cranes, fresh from their round-of-16 exit at the Africa Cup of Nations six years ago in Egypt, aim to secure a quarterfinal spot at this year's Afcon finals in Morocco.

On Tuesday, December 23, The Cranes will face off against Tunisia, a former champions with whom they possess a daunting head-to-head record. To stay on course for the quarterfinals, The Cranes must avoid defeat in their first game against Tunisia at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah in Rabat.

A win in this initial match could give The Cranes the momentum and confidence to tackle the challenges ahead, including East African neighbor Tanzania and Nigeria, another powerhouse and former champion.

Two weeks of intense preparations in Morocco have bolstered Coach Paul Put's side, which boasts a mix of youthful stars and experienced players like skipper Khalid Aucho. The team is now poised for their first group stage fixture against Tunisia.

"The boys are highly motivated and focused on winning the first game to set themselves up for success," observed Ahmed Hussein, a former broadcast journalist who has been working with The Cranes since December 7. This sentiment underscores Put's strategy of securing two wins in the opening games to minimize pressure ahead.

Although the game against Nigeria is generating significant attention, Put plans to prioritize winning the first two matches to allow for a more relaxed final group stage encounter.

In their last competitive meeting in 2019, Tunisia dominated The Cranes with a 5-0 scoreline. This history of defeat has been largely consistent across their past encounters, with four of five wins coming during Afcon engagements.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Tunisia commands a significant lead in the head-to-head record against The Uganda Cranes, having won every competitive game between them. In 1962, 1978, and February 1999, Tunisia secured victories of 3-0, 3-1, and 2-0 respectively. A more recent international friendly match saw Tunisians triumph over The Cranes 2-0 in 2017.

Fixtures

Tue, Dec 23@11pm: Uganda Cranes v Tunisia

Sat, Dec 27@8:30pm: Uganda Cranes v Tanzania

Wed, December 30@7pm: Uganda Cranes v Nigeria