Uganda Cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has named a provisional squad for the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) 2016 due in Rwanda next month
Bul F.C creative midfielder Milton Karisa, Rahmat Ssenfuka (Police F.C), Soana F.C duo of striker Francis Olaki and Timothy Musinguzi, Farouk Kawooya (Sports Club Victoria University), Sadolin Paints’ Andrew Basoma, Edrisa Lubega (Proline) and Richard Wandyaka of Jinja Municipal Council Hippos football club are the new faces on the team.
A bulk of the team that successfully won the 14th CECAFA Senior challenge cup in Ethiopia has been maintained.
Lweza F.C veteran striker, Geofrey Sserunkuma makes the cut alongside Proline Soccer Academy’s Lubega.
The non residential training starts on the Saturday, 2nd January 2016 at Nakivubo stadium. Eleven of the players have been exempted from the first two training sessions.
These are; Ismail Watenga, Mathias Kigonya, Denis Okot, Richard Kasaga, Bernard Muwanga, Erisa Sekisambu, Muzamir Mutaybar, Faruku Miya, Joseph Ochaya, Ivan Ntege and Caesar Okhuti.
Upon naming squad, Micho has defended his choice of mixing the youth and experienced along to the official fufa web plat form;
No team has ever succeeded with all players being young. We have a mixture of youth and competitive experience. The experienced players will need to help the young players in the team.
The Uganda Cranes coach was speaking shortly after handing over the list of the summoned players to Communications Manager Ahmed Hussein.
We shall still have 70% of U-23 players and 30% of experience in the final23man squad for the CHAN finals
A final squad of 23 will be named after the second of the two friendly games against Cameroon on January 13th 2016 at FUFA Technical center in Njeru.
Uganda is pooled in group D.
SUMMONED TEAM:
GOAL-KEEPERS: Douglas Kisembo (Police F.C), James Alitho (Vipers), Ismail Watenga (Vipers) and Mathias Kigonya (Bright Stars F.C)
DEFENDERS: Joseph Nsubuga (Bright Stars F.C), Deus Bukenya (Vipers), Isaac Muleme (SC Villa Jogoo), Yesseri Waibi (SC Villa), Hassan Wasswa Dazo (KCCA F.C), Shafiki Bakaki (Vipers), Ibrahim Kiyemba (Lweza), Ayub Ibrahim Kizza F.C(Express), Sadat Kyambadde (Police F.C), Timothy Musinguzi (Soana F.C), Timothy Awani (KCCA F.C), Dennis Okot (KCCA F.C), Richard Kasagga (URA F.C), Benard Muwanga (Bright Stars F.C), Joseph Ochaya (KCCA F.C)
MIDFIELDERS: Ambrose Kirya (SC Villa), Kezironi Kizito (Vipers S.C), Rahmat Ssenfuka (Police), Andrew Basoma (Sadolin Paints), Francis Olaki (Soana F.C), Milton Karisa (BUL F.C), Mike Ndera (BUL F.C), Farouk Kawooya (Sports Club Victoria University), Martin Kizza (SC Villa Jogoo), Ivan Ntege (KCCA F.C), Muzamiru Mutyaba (KCCA F.C)
STRIKERS: Robert Sentongo (URA F.C), Geofrey Sserunkuma (Lweza F.C), Frank Kalanda (URA F.C), Karim Ndugwa (SC Villa Jogoo), Edris Lubega (Proline Soccer Academy), Nelson Ssenkatuka (KCCA F.C), Richard Wandyaka (Jinja Municipal Council Hippos F.C), Ceasar Okhuti (Express F.C), Faruku Miya (Vipers S.C), Erisa Ssekisambu (Vipers S.C), Tonny Odur (Express)
4th CHAN Championship: Rwanda (16th January – 7th February 2016 )
GROUPS:
A:Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Gabon
B:DRC, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Angola
C:Tunisia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria
D:Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Mali
Cranes’ fixtures:
January 19:Uganda vs. Mali
January 23: Uganda vs. Zambia
January 27: Uganda vs. Zimbabwe
Build-up matches
January 10:Uganda vs. Gabon
January 13:Uganda vs. Cameroon
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