Cranes coach plans big Burundi attack

Sunday
Burundi v Uganda

Ideally, the main point why coaches stage build-up games is to gauge the standing of their teams. To try new things out, see what works, and build from it. Certainly, last week’s friendly win against Tanzania was quite productive in that regard.

Cranes have looked much better in Coach Bobby Williamson’s 4-2-2-1-1 formation that seems to be imaginative and yielding goals. The 48-year-old is expected to apply the same formation when the Cranes face Burundi in Sunday’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) first leg tie in Bujumbura.

In the formation, Henry Kisekka or Peter Ssenyonjo, the two gangly strikers are battling to lead Cranes’ frontline. “Henry (Kisekka) and Peter have the temperament to perform the thankless task of holding up the ball; my style is always two forwards, with one at heart of the opposition’s defense,” Bobby told Daily Monitor after yesterday’s morning training session at Namboole.

The Scot has not hidden his admiration for a physically endowed centre forward who can create space for the likes of Sula Matovu, Juma Sadam and Tony Odur to score. “These two (Kisekka and Ssenyonjo) can give us a different dimension, we need to have Plan B,” Williamson stressed. Ssenyonjo, last season’s top scorer and with six goals this term, led the line against Tanzania. The 27-year-old rarely out-muscles opposition centre-backs due to his frailty.

URA’s Kisekka currently tops the league’s scoring chat with 11 goals but lacks the patience to trouble the back four for goals. His inclusion might be irrational and comes at the expense of midfielders to who are more likely to get on the score sheet.
Muwonge focused

Cranes assistant captain and goalkeeper Hamza Muwonge resumed training yesterday after spending Monday night behind bars at Katwe Police Station. He went about with his usual training drills without any problem. “I have faith in him, and whatever happened will spur him on to perform better and help the team ,” Bobby said of Muwonge.