Soccer
Cranes call stimulates Luwagga’s lost dream
Luwagga (right) has enjoyed a tremendous start to his Leixoes career and is hoping that his call-up to the national team will enable his career grow in leaps and bounds. COURTESY PHOTO
Posted Tuesday, March 12 2013 at 02:00
In Summary
Luwagga, a former Bunnamwaya midfielder, is famed for deft feet, unique trickery and an eye for goal
Just at the 20-year-old bend, William Kizito Luwagga had given up any hopes of ever playing for the national team, the Cranes.
It was from Daily Monitor yesterday that Luwagga got the news of his call-up to the Cranes ahead of Uganda’s 2014 World Cup qualifier against Liberia on March 24 in Monrovia.
Luwagga especially lost optimism after his move to Portuguese Second Divison side Leixoes first hit a glitch due to unclear reasons between Vipers and the Portuguese Liga de Honra outfit before finally going through.
“You must be playing on my mind,” Luwagga responded online when this reporter notified him of his inclusion in the team.
“This (Cranes call-up) is impossible. It’s the last thing I ever expected to happen due to some reasons,” Luwagga added without divulging the reasons.
Before his move to Portugal, Luwagga had been voted as the Bell Super League best midfielder after his 12 goals return and 13 assists for Vipers, then Bunnamwaya, in the 2011/2012 season. At his current club, Luwagga has made 22 appearances, 17 of them in the starting line up.
“I have been given a task and now I have to show what have learnt in Portugal. I am going to do my best God will decide the rest,” he said.
‘Black Messi’
His deft feet and dazzling skills have earned him a ‘Black Messi’ nickname in Portugal.
Luwagga’s desire to impress has seen him score four and create ten goals. But he has also been on the dirty end, receiving three yellow cards and two reds. He first played for Uganda in a 2-1 friendly loss to Egypt in Khartoum but the game not being a Fifa sanctioned match, the midfielder is looking forward to a competitive one.
“I have to prove that I belong in the national team setup,” he added. Luwagga, alongside former Bunnamwaya teammate Boban Zirintunsa of Zimbabwean outfit Power Dynamos, were the two surprise inclusions in the squad named for the Liberia trip. Meanwhile, Caf have pushed the draw for 2015 Afcon qualifying rounds to January or February 2014.
ckyazze@ug.nationmedia.com
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