2017 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup
- Group B Opener: Monday, 4th December
- Uganda Cranes Vs Burundi (4 p.m)
Uganda Cranes will open up their title defence and the quest for the 15th record crown of the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup against Burundi on Monday.
This will be the third game of the 2017 championship following match day one on Sunday in Kakamega and Machakos. Hosts Kenya defeated Rwanda 2-0 whilst Tanzania fell to guest country Libya by the same margin on Sunday.
Uganda Cranes match with Burundi followed a quick amendment in the fixtures after the withdrawal of Zimbabwe from the tournament.
Zimbabwe wrote to the organizers on Thursday last week indicating how they would not be able to attend the championship citing insecurity in the host country.
Therefore, after a change in the fixtures, Uganda drew Burundi in the opening match of Group B on Monday.
The Cranes departed for Kakamega on Saturday morning after three days of non-residential training at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole and the Maroons stadium, Luzira.
On Friday evening, the team had a practice match with the national U-20 side, losing 2-1. Derrick Nsibambi’s opener was easily neutralized by Mustapha Kizza and Fred Okot’s sublime strikes for the U-20 side.
In the training match, the national team missed the services of four players – Nico Wadada, Tadeo Lwanga, Isma Watenga and Muzamiru Mutyaba, all of whom had traveled to Speke Resort Munyonyo for the annual Airtel FUFA Awards.
Despite the loss, head coach Moses Basena remained hopeful that they will rise to the occasion where it matters most.
“A training match is far better than 5 training sessions combined. We saw and monitored a lot of stuff in that session that we need to work on for the better,” Basena noted.
The team had on an 8 hour road journey from Kampala to Kakamega via Busia before they checked in at the leafy and lavish Golf Hotel. They held two sessions, one recovery training moments after arrival and the final training on Sunday.
After Monday’s game, Uganda will face South Sudan and Ethiopia on Friday and Sunday respectively.
Two best placed teams from each group will make the semi-finals.
Probable XI: Benjamin Ochan (G.K), Nico Wakiro Wadada, Isaac Muleme, Bernard Muwanga, Timothy Denis Awany, Tom Masiko, Milton Karisa, Ibrahim Saddam Juma, Muzamiru Mutyaba, Derrick Nsibambi, Allan Kyambadde
Other Players: Ismail Watenga (G.K), Tom Ikara (G.K), Joseph Nsubuga, Allan Kateregga, Hood Kaweesa, Aggrey Madoi, Shafiq Bakaki, Paul Mucureezi, Nelson Senkatuka, Daniel Isiagi, Tadeo Lwanga
