Uganda Cranes Training Matches:
- 27th May – 3rd June 2018
- In Niger
Uganda Cranes head coach Sebastien Desabre has included 21-year-old Danish based Ugandan offensive midfielder Moses Opondo on the 23 man squad set for two international friendly matches in Niger.
Opondo, currently playing at Vendsyssel Football Club thrives best off the right wing.
He was born at Kibuli Muslim Hospital, Uganda in 1997 before he moved to Denmark with his mother Nuluyiat Namagembe aged four years.
In 2015, he made a courtesy to the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) head quarters in Mengo and met the FUFA President Moses Magogo.
Opondo is among six offensive midfielders that Uganda Cranes head coach named ahead of two high profile friendly matches with Niger and Central African Republic (CAR).
In Denmark, he has previously featured for two community clubs Skagen IK and Bangsbofreja before joining Aalborg BK Junior side to his current club – Vendsyssel FC.
On Wednesday, FUFA confirmed that the Uganda Cranes will take part in a three nation invitational tournament in West Africa featuring hosts Niger and Central African Republic.
The team that will depart on 27th May 2018 also has Cape Town City midfielder Allan Kateregga, Sabail midfielder Faruku Miya, Yeovil Town towering defender Bevis Mugabi, Zambian based left footer Joseph Ochaya, Salim Jamal, Hassan Wasswa Mawanda and the team captain Dennis Onyango.
The others on the team are Isaac Muleme, Yunus Sentamu, Denis Iguma, Murushid Jjuuko, Godfrey Walusimbi, Edrisa Lubega, Emmanuel Okwi, William Luwagga Kizito and Khalid Aucho.
There are five locally based players on the team – on form goalkeeper Charles Lukwago, Muhammed Shaban, Timothy Denis Awany (all KCCA) as well as the Vipers duo of Milton Karisa and Nico Wakiro Wadada.
Desabre noted that the summoned players will be monitored until the AFCON 2019 qualifiers coming up in September 2018.
I believe in the technical ability of the players summoned in line with my attacking philosophy of football.
There will be no time for training for the summoned team before they depart for Niger.
Summoned Team
- Goalkeepers: Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Charles Lukwago (KCCA, Uganda), Jamal Salim (Al Merreikh, Sudan)
- Right Backs: Denis Iguma (Al Nabi Shayth, Lebanon), Nico Wakiro Wadada (Vipers, Uganda)
- Left Backs: Isaac Muleme (Al Assiouty, Egypt), Godfrey “Jajja Walu” Walusimbi (Gor Mahia, Kenya)
- Central Defenders: Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania), Bevis Mugabi (Yeovil Town, England), Timothy Dennis Awany (KCCA, Uganda)
- Holding Midfielders: Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (El Geish, Egypt), Khalid Aucho (East Bengal, India), Tadeo Lwanga (Vipers, Uganda)
- Offensive Midfielders: Moses Opondo (Vendsyssel, Denmark), William Luwagga Kizito (CMSM Lasi, Romania), Joseph Ochaya (Lusaka Dynamos, Zambia), Milton Karisa (Vipers, Uganda), Allan Kateregga (Cape Town City, South Africa), Faruku Miya (Sabail, Azerbaijan – on loan from Standard Liege, Belgium)
- Forwards: Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Simba, Tanzania), Yunus Sentamu (Tirana, Albania), Edrisa “Torres” Lubega (Floridsdorfer, Austria), Muhammed “Jaggarson” Shaban (KCCA, Uganda)