Uganda call 26 to camp ahead of Back Stars visit

Uganda Cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sedrojevic has invited 26 players for this weekend’s warm-up friendly to the penultimate Group E 2015 Africa up of Nations qualifying encounter with Ghana.

Conspicuously missing from the squad to face are Captain Andrew Mwesigwa and South Africa-based goalkeeper Dennis Onyango who SuperSport has confirmed have been excused due to club commitment and will likely arrive from Monday.


“This [squad] is for the friendly on Sunday against Ethiopia. Andy [Mwesigwa] is most likely to return for the game against Ghana. The reason for his omission is he is yet to arrive from his club in Kazakhstan and may not be in Kampala in time for this friendly. I have talked to the PRO [of the national team] and he says only Mwesigwa and the goalkeeper who plays at Mamelodi Sundowns have been left out for now,” Ugandan journalist Aisha Omulongo who covered Wednesday’s press conference by FUFA told SuperSport.com


Making a return to the Cranes squad after a two-year hiatus is Mike Sserumaga as well as Hassan Wasswa Mawanda while goalkeeper Jamal Salim (El Merriekh) and midfielder Kizito Keziron (Vipers) have been handed their debut call-ups to the senior national team.


Speaking of his schedule, Uganda coach Micho announced to the media that training begins for the home-based players from the afternoon.


“The pool of locally based players [will] start immediate non-residential training on Wednesday afternoon before they will be joined by the foreign based players on the team in the coming days” the Serbian trainer said on Wednesday.


Uganda will prune its squad down to 18 players before hosting the Black Stars in the 2015 AFCON qualifiers at the Mandela Stadium in Namboole on November 15.

Uganda’s squad of 26


Goalkeepers: Robert Odongkara (St George), Jamal Salim (El Merriekh), Ismail Watenga (Vipers) and Brian Bwete (URA)


Defenders: Godfrey Walusimbi (Gor Mahia), Julius Ntambi (Kira Young), Isaac Isinde (St. George, Ethiopia), Martin Kizza (Tusker), Savio Kabugo (SCVU), Habibu Kavuma (KCC), Richard Kasagga (KCC)


Midfielders: Tonny Mawejje (Haugesund, Norway), Hassan Wasswa (SC Villa), Brian Majwega (KCC), Kizito Keziron (Vipers), Faruku Miya, Moses Oloya (Xuan Than Sai Gon FC), Mike Sserumaga (Lweza), Baker Lukooya (Kira Young), Allan Kyambadde(Vipers), Geoffrey Kizito (Gor Mahia), Khalid Aucho (Tusker)


Strikers: Geoffrey Massa (Pretoria University), Yunus Sentamu (AS Vita), Robert Ssentongo (URA), Daniel Sserunkuma (Gor Mahia)