After guiding Uganda Cranes to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nationsfinals in Cameroon, head coach Sebastien Desabre has heaped praise on theimpact of the Uganda Premier League.
Desabre in particular was impressed with the performance of the players who featured in the game at Mandela National Stadium which Uganda won 1-0 courtesy of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)’s striker Henry Patrick Kaddu.
Frenchman, Sebastien Desabre, Uganda Cranes head coach
I am happy by the quality of players on the team from the Uganda Premier League. There are so many talented players in the league. A good number of them in the U-23 and U-20 teams doing good work. I liked the fighting spirit from the players.
The starting eleven on the day had two locally based players in the Uganda Premier League – Moses Waiswa of Vipers Sports Club and KCCA’s Kaddu.
Allan Kyambadde and defender Timothy Dennis Awany, two other KCCA players were later on introduced for Isaac Muleme and Faruku Miya respectively.
Kyambadde came on much earlier in the 65th minute and had a hand in setting up left back Godfrey Walusimbi who crossed for Kaddu for the goal.
Awany was a late change in the closing stages of the game.
Meanwhile, a couple of players were un-used substitutes in the game.
Goalkeeper Charles Lukwago (KCCA), Isaac Isinde (Kirinya-Jinja SS) and defensive midfielder Tadeo Lwanga (Vipers SC) were the players from the local clubs among the unused substitutes.
Desabre is a keen follower of the domestic league and he is a common figure at many Uganda Premier league games.
With Uganda already qualified to AFCON 2019, Desabre has all the green light to continue monitoring other promising players in the league well in time ahead of the final qualifier, away to Tanzania in March 2019.
Uganda Cranes XI Vs Cape Verde:
Goalkeepers: Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Nico Wakiro Wadada (Azam FC, Tanzania), Godfrey Walusimbi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa), Murushid Juuko (Simba SC, Tanzania), Hassan Wasswa (El Geish, Egypt), Denis Iguma (Kazma FC, Kuwait), Khalid Aucho (Church Hill Brothers, India), Faruku Miya (Gorica, Croatia), Moses Waiswa (Vipers SC, Uganda), Patrick Henry Kaddu (KCCA FC, Uganda), Isaac Muleme (Haras El Hodood, Egypt)
Changes:
65’ Allan Kyambadde On, Isaac Muleme Out
83’ Edrisa Lubega On, Patrick Henry Kaddu Out
92’ Timothy Dennis Awany On, Faruku Miya Out
Subs Not Used:
Jamal Salim (Al Hilal, Sudan), Charles Lukwago (KCCA, Uganda), Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe), Isaac Isinde (Kirinya-Jinja SS, Uganda), Tadeo Lwanga (Vipers SC, Uganda), Allan Kateregga (Cape Town City, South Africa), Milton Karisa (MC Oujda, Morocco), Derrick Nsibambi (Smouha, Egypt)
