International Friendly Match:
- Wednesday, 30th May 2018
- Uganda Vs Central African Republic (CAR)
*At Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niamey (11 PM in Uganda)
When Uganda Cranes take on Central African Republic (CAR) in an international friendly match on Wednesday night, one player of the 23 man team for the CECAFA giants could win his maiden cap.
The player in question is Moses “Mo” Opondo, a right winger who turns out for Danish Superliga club Vendsyssel FF.
Opondo has already expressed the desire and urge to grab the opportunity with open hands, as he attested to the FUFA media team;
I am looking forward to my debut when I put on the Uganda colors. However I still need to prove my worth for this selection
Before joining the Uganda Cranes team in Niger, Opondo was part of the Vendsyssel FF team that won 3-1 away to Thisted FC at the Sparekassen Thy Arena, in a game he was also cautioned in the 9th minute.
Lucas Jensen, Mikael Anderson and Glenn Rask (own goal) managed the goals for Vendsyssel FF after recovering from Jeff Mensah’s early 17th minute for Thisted.
This international build up match is the second of the three national tourney will take place at the 35,000 seater Stade Général Seyni Kountché in the Niger capital of Niamey.
The first game between the hosts Niger and Central African Republic ended in a three goal stalemate.
A distant 41 places separate the two countries since Uganda is currently 74th and Central African Republic occupies the 115th slot.
The match will also present Uganda Cranes head coach Sebestien Desabre with a good plat form to continue monitoring players he had not seen in action for the national team.
These include midfielders Aucho Khalid and Faruku Miya as well as Austrian based striker Edrisa Lubega.
The trio missed the previous two build ups in Kampala against Sao Tome and Principe as well as Malawi.
Uganda will wind up with Niger on Saturday at the same stadium.
The two build ups in Niger will help Desabre to frame the team that will take part in the 2019 AFCON qualifiers come September 2018.
Uganda Cranes team in Niger:
Goalkeepers: Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Charles Lukwago (KCCA FC), Jamal Salim (El Merreikh, Sudan)
Defenders: Denis Iguma (Al Nabi Shayth, Lebanon), Nico Wadada (Vipers SC), Murushid Jjuko (Simba, Tanzania), Bevis Mugabi (Yeovil Town, England), Timothy Awanyi (KCCA FC), Isaac Muleme (Assiouty, Egypt)
Midfielders: Allan Kyambadde (SC Villa Jogoo), Joseph Ochaya (Lusaka Dynamos, Zambia), Hassan Wasswa (El Geish, Egypt), Khalid Aucho (East Bengal, India), Taddeo Lwanga (Vipers SC), William Kizito Luwagga (CMS Politehnica Lasi, Romania), Milton Karisa (Vipers SC), Allan Kateregga (Cape Town, South Africa), Faruku Miya (Sabail, Azerbaijan on loan from Standard Liege, Belgium), Moses Opondo (Vendsyssel, Denmark)
Forwards: Emmanuel Okwi ( Simba, Tanzania), Yunus Sentamu ( Tirana, Albania), Edrisa Lubega ( Floridsdorfer AC, Austria), Mohammed Shaban( KCCA)