The public may have concurred with the 27-man squad unveiled by Uganda Cranes’ coach Moses Basena ahead of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Qualifier against Egypt on Wednesday. But moments after the dusk, Fufa announced that Micho Sredojevic’s interim replacement Basena and his assistant Fred Kajob would be joined by two new faces.
Former Cranes captain Ibrahim Sekagya and Express tactician Matia Lule will be part of the technical team when Uganda tussles the Pharaohs next Thursday and the return leg in Alexandria. “Basena made the request to have both Lule and Sekagya to reinforce the technical team so that Fred Kajoba concentrates on the goalkeeping area. FUFA honoured Basena’s request and we believe the new additions will be of great value to the Cranes,” said FUFA Communications Manager Ahmed Hussein. Currently coaching at New York Red Bulls in USA’s Major League Soccer, Sekagya brings in a wealth of experience having played at the top level. He is expected to arrive in the country on August 27 while Lule already started work with Basena.
The latter recalled prodigal son Kizito Luwagga back to the side, the player based in Romania having sworn never to play for the Uganda Cranes again for as long as it was still under Micho’s guise. Besides, 14 others who ply their trade outside Uganda are in the squad for the crunch tie against the Arabian nation. Joseph Ochaya also returns to the fodder having missed the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier opener away in Cape Verde.
The remaining batch consists of active players who helped Uganda eject Rwanda 3-2 on aggregate in the just-concluded 2018 Chan Qualifiers. Uganda is yet to concede a goal in the road to Russia. The side eliminated Togo 4-0 on aggregate with Farouk Miya netting three goals.
In the Group E, Uganda opened the campaign with a goalless draw in Ghana’s northern town Tamale before beating Congo-Brazzaville 1-0 courtesy of Miya in Namboole last November.
2018 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
GROUP E
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31
Uganda vs. Egypt, Namboole
Referee: Ali Lemghaifry (Mauritania)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
Ghana vs. Congo-Brazzaville, Kumasi
Referee: Youssef Essrayri (Tunisia)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Egypt vs. Uganda, Alexandria
Referee: Victor Gomes (South Africa)
Congo-Brazzaville vs. Ghana, Brazzaville
Referee: Rédouane Jiyed (Morocco)
CRANES SQUAD FOR EGYPT
Goalkeepers: Dennis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Robert Odongkara (St. George), Ismail Watenga (Vipers), Benjamin Ochan (KCCA)
Defenders: Nicholas Wadada (Vipers), Isaac Muleme (KCCA), Timothy Dennis Awany (KCCA), Murushid Juuko (Simba, Tanzania), Bernard Muwanga (SC Villa), Godfrey Walusimbi (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Dennis Iguma (Al Ahed, Lebanon), Paul Musamali (KCCA), Isaac Isinde (Buildcon, Zambia)
Midfielders: William Luwagga Kizito (CSM Politehnica Iași, Romania), Khalid Aucho (Unattached), Geoffrey Kizito (Than Quảng Ninh, Vietnam), Ivan Ntege (Township Rollers, Botswana), Muzamiru Mutyaba (KCCA), Moses Waiswa (Vipers), Shafiq Kagimu (URA), Hassan Wasswa (Njimeh Lebanon), Joseph Ochaya (Lusaka Dynamos, Zambia)
Strikers: Derrick Nsibambi (KCCA), Geoffrey Sserunkuma (Buildcon, Zambia), Emmanuel Okwi (Simba, Tanzania), Milton Karisa (Vipers), Farouk Miya (Standard Liege, Belgium)
This writer is a scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and, also a sports presenter with NBS Television and Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune