The Uganda Cranes started training for the 2018 CHAN qualifier on Wednesday May 24 and will be tested by a select team from Kitara region over the weekend. With a tight schedule awaiting the team in June, head coach Milutin Sredojevic has his work cut out and will hope to have his charges ready in time for the forthcoming fixtures.
The team started with a session at the Mandela National stadium, Namboole outer pitch on Wednesday with Micho and his assistants running the side through paces for close to four hours. The selected group only features local based players and midfielder Hassan Wasswa Mawanda, who was allowed by the head coach to train with the side.
KCCA FC players are not involved because of their active involvement in the Uganda Cup as well as the CAF Confederation Cup. After Wednesday’s session, Micho and his technical team released a dozen players from the 40 who were initially summoned. Among those sent home are Juma Balinya and Solomon Wafula, Police’s Rahmat Ssenfuka, defender Ibrahim Kibumba plus Synergy’s Pius Kagwa.
After a trial game against Kitara Region in the Cranes Regional tour, the side will play an international friendly with Ethiopia before taking on South Sudan in a 2018 CHAN qualifier. In the same month of June, the Cranes begin their campaign for the 2019 AFCON qualifiers with a trip to Cape Verde in a bid to book a ticket back to the African football table of men.
Proline FC pair of striker Nelson Ssenkatuka and defender Savio Kabugo will have a chance of impressing Micho for slots on the main Cranes team to feature in the AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.
The Released Players Pius Kagwa (Synergy), Farouk Banga (Bright Stars), Ibrahim Kibumba and Rahmat Ssenfuka (Police), Villa Oromchan (Bul), Solomon Wafula (Masavu), Maxwell Okello (Maroons), Muhammad Yiga (Synergy), Juma Balinya (Masavu), Eddy Kapamba (Maroons), Issa Mubiru (The Saints) and Timothy Sebudde (Water)