Hard Times: Top Uganda Stars Onyango, Massa, Oloya Out Of Mauritania Trip

Uganda Cranes will be without three key players as the face Mauritania on Sunday in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier.

 

FUFA president Moses Magogo was spekictal yesterday that South African based goalkeeper Denis Onyango would miss the game. Now Magogo tells us that striker Geoffrey Massa and Moses Oloya will not make the trip.

Magogo, who is expected to travel with team tomorrow morning on a Kenya Airways flight, said the three players will miss the game because their respective clubs have refused to release them for national duty.

He said it would not make sense for Onyango to make the trip because his club Mamelodi Sundowns can only release him on Saturday for the game that will take place the next day. Magogo, however, reasoned that the technical bench should try to use the resources available to win the game because it is not easy to always have the players you want at a particular time.

The contingent coordinator Crispus Muyinda traveled ahead of the contingent to organize for the team’s logistics in Bamako, Mali will fly out tonight to Malian capital where they will have one training session before proceeding to Nouakchott, Mauritania.

Head Coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic said that he will have to rely on the players who will travel. He however said it’s unfortunate they will miss key players and yet the opponents will have all their players including those who missed the first leg encounter that Uganda won 2-0.

For the hosts, their Head Coach Patric Neveu will welcome back play-maker Dominique Da Silva who missed the first leg in Kampala. The likes of Bastia’s Adama Ba, Khalil Moulaye Ahmed and Camara Khassa are also expected to start the game in which the hosts need a big win to qualify for the Group stage.

Uganda needs a win, draw or a 1-0 loss to qualify for the Group stage. The team that qualifies will join the Group that has Guinea, Togo and the Black Stars of Ghana.

The squad: Benjamin Ochan, Robert Odongkara, Denis Iguma, Walusimbi Godfrey , Savio Kabugo, Richard Kassaga, Andrew Mwesigwa, Isaac Isinde, Luwaga Kizito, Godfrey Kizito, Aucho Khalid, Farouq Miya Tony Mawejje , Brian Majwega, Robert Sentongo, Brian Umony, Hamis Kizza and Daniel Serunkuma.

 

Meanwhile, after a 3 hour journey , the Uganda National U-17 team has arrived safely in Gisenyi City, the host for the Friday’s CAF Youth championship qualifier against Rwanda.

The Ugandan delegation left Kigali in the morning at 9 O’clock and reached Gisenyi City by 1:10 pm (Kigali local time, Ugandan time 2:10 pm). The team is accommodated at Peace land hotel, overlooking the beautiful Lake Kivu water body.

They are also trained later in the evening at the Umuganda Stadium (artificial turf).

Players available for selection for Friday’s game are; Eric Kibowa and Edward Kasibante (Goal Keepers), Andrew Isiagi Okiring (Captain), Alex Komakech, Samuel Kato Nemeyimana, Bashir Asiku, Emmanuel Olinga (Vice Captain), Hassan Ssenyonjo, Frank Zaga Tumwesigye, Muhammed Shaban, Charles Sebutinde, Pius Obuya, Joel Jangeyemabe, Diego Katumba, Asraph Mugume, Ezra Bidda, Musa Mukalazi, and Julius Poloto.