FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers (Group E):
Uganda Cranes Vs Mali Stallions (Monday, 6th September 2021)
At St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende (4 PM) * Uganda Cranes is sponsored by Airtel Uganda among other partners
Immediately after returning from the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, the Uganda Cranes delegation entered the team camp at Cranes Paradise Hotel in Kisaasi, Kampala.
The team arrived at Entebbe International Airport on Friday afternoon from Kenya aboard Ethiopian Airlines with a stop over in Addis Ababa city.
Like many in-coming passengers, the Uganda Cranes delegation was subjected to the mandatory immigration process at the airport (where a valid negative PCR covid-19 certificate was also presented per head) before they had everyone was again tested for COVID-19 once again.
The testing of COVID-19 for everyone on the Uganda Cranes delegation was done at Entebbe Hospital.
The team then drove to the Kisaasi camp and resumed training in the morning at the hotel (stretches and recovery) before the afternoon session at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.
Upon arrival, head coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic admitted that the planning process for the Mali clash commenced immediately after the game with Kenya.
“We started planning for the game against Mali from the time we finished playing with Kenya. There is need to improve on various aspects from the way we played against Kenya. Also, we have to monitor these players who picked knocks” Micho stated.
Meanwhile, the three players released after the international friendly match with Ethiopia have regrouped with the rest of the group.
URA captain Shafik “Kuchi” Kagimu, Martin Kizza and Kenneth Semakula are all with the rest of the 23 players who featured against Kenya.
The team training on Saturday will be recovery and stretching in the morning at the hotel before the afternoon session at the St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.
Mali delegation comes to the country on Saturday evening (6 PM) aboard a chartered flight and will be accommodated at Sheraton Kampala Hotel.
The Uganda Cranes team in Camp:
Goalkeepers: Charles Lukwago, Isima Bin Rashid Watenga, Joel Mutakubwa
Outfield Players: Denis Iguma, Isaac Muleme, Halid Lwaliwa, Enock Walusimbi, Murushid Juuko, Khalid Aucho, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Moses Waiswa Ndohondi, Ibrahim Orit, Milton Karisa, Yunus Sentamu, Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Captain), Paul Derrick Nsibambi, Joseph Benson Ochaya, Mustafa Kizza, Innocent Wafula Esimu, Gavin Kizito Mugweri, Abdul Aziizi Kayondo, Richard Basangwa, Steven Desse Mukwala, Kenneth Semakula, Shafik Kagimu, Martin Kizza
This team needs serious work.
Too many air balls. Nothing to offer going forward. Forwards were surviving on crumbs. Poor decision making by the coaching staff to waste time at the end when they could have gone for a win.
They lost a chance to get a win away in an empty stadium.
Charles Lukwago gave the ball away countless times. He even got rid of it when he should have gone down on it, stayed down to give his mates a breather and disrupt the opponent’s rhythm. He needs to read the game and distribute the ball better.
A young Okwi (before joining the Cranes) would have torched these Kenyans with goals.
FUFA do NOT send any more youth players into this Cranes setup not even defensive midfielders because Micho’s mentality will ruin their game. Only send defenders.
This is 5x worse than the team De Sabre left behind.