Uganda Hippos head coach Morley Byekwaso has taken note of their quarter-final opponent Burkina Faso’s strength but stressed that his side has the required skill set to navigate the tie.

The Hippos will play against the West Africans on Thursday, February 25th, they qualified for the quarters after finishing second in group A on six points.

Burkina Faso on the other hand topped group B with seven points. “We thank God for helping us reach the quarter-finals,” Byekwaso said after Tuesday’s training session.

“But the team we are going to play against is strong and formidable and therefore we need to do more in the game.”

“They (Burkina Fas) are a physical side with players who are tall and with huge body mass, so, we shall need to work extra hard, and try play as well as we have been doing to give ourselves a chance for a win.”

“Our weapon is passing the ball but we need to have more speed in all phases of the game because we want to advance to the semi-finals of this tournament,” Byekwaso added.

Byekwaso will be hopeful that youngsters Derrick Kakooza and Steven Sserwadda continue with their fine form in order to lift Uganda against the Burkinabe’s.

Kakooza and Sserwadda have each managed two goals already at the youth showpiece in Mauritania, the pair are in the hunt for the top scorer’s accolade.

Uganda are playing at their maiden tournament while Burkina Faso took part in 2007 and 2019 but have also never got past the group stages.