KCCA contingent join as goal-shy Cranes shift focus to Senegal friendly

KAMPALA.

Uganda coach Micho Sredojevic will have one more critical look at his team against Senegal in Dakar tonight after the Cranes fired blanks in a friendly with hosts Ethiopia on Saturday.

That team will include six players from Azam Uganda Premier League champions KCCA, who were expected to join last evening following the club’s 2-1 home win over Nigeria’s Rivers United on Saturday at the Phillip Omondi Stadium in Lugogo.

The contingent named includes strikers Derrick Nsibambi whose double made it four goals in as many Caf Confederation Cup games against Rivers United and partner Geoffrey Sserunkuma, who topped the league goal scoring charts with 21 goals.
Others are goalkeeper, Benjamin Ochan and defenders Dennis Okot, Isaac Muleme and Timothy Awany.

Dakar assignment
On Saturday, Micho had started with a number of players most likely to face Senegal tonight and Cape Verde in an Afcon qualifier five days later.

Ismail Watenga, standing in before Denis Onyango who also joined the squad for the Dakar assignment yesterday, started in goal with Nicholas Wadada, Godfrey Walusimbi, Murushid Juuko, Benard Muwanga, providing a thick cover in front of him.
Hassan Wasswa and Khalid Aucho joined Denmark-based Robert Kakeeto who got his run-out alongside Crizestom Ntambi with SC Villa’s Emmanuel Okwi feeding off Belgium-based Farouk Miya. Yet even these could not unlock the Ethiopians.

To that, both sides made sweeping changes as the game progressed, with Martin Kizza, Milton Karisa and Muhammed Shaban replacing Ntambi, Kakeeto and Okwi for the Cranes.
Proline’s Nelson Senkatuka came in for Miya, Deus Bukenya for Aucho while Wasswa paved way for Savio Kabugo, who was making a return to the national teal realms after a two-year injury-forced absence.

Trimming the squad
With Onyango and the KCCA players joining, Micho is expected to further trim his squad with most of the substitutes expected to be among those dropped.
“We want to use these matches to gain match fitness,” Micho told Daily Monitor, “We shall try, test, experiment and polish what we have against Senegal; one of the powerhouses of African football.”
Uganda come into this one the poorer side having lost three and drawn two in their last five matches.
On the contrary, Senegal – whose last meeting with the Cranes was a 1-0 victory in Marrakesh on September 7, 2013 in a World Cup qualifier – have lost once, won two and drawn as many.

PLAYERS SET TO JOIN CRANES
Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns - goalkeeper), Benjamin Ochan (KCCA - goalkeeper), Dennis Okot (KCCA - defender), Isaac Muleme (KCCA - defender), Timothy Awany (KCCA - defender), Derrick Nsibambi (KCCA - striker), Geoffrey Sserunkuma (KCCA - striker)

AFCON 2019 QUALIFICATION
International Friendlies
Saturday Result: Ethiopia 0-0 Uganda
Tonight: Senegal vs. Uganda, 11pm
Afcon fixtures
Saturday: Cape Verde vs. Uganda
27 March 2018: Uganda vs. Tanzania
3 Sept 2018: Uganda vs. Lesotho
11 Sept 2018: Lesotho vs. Uganda
16 Oct 2018: Uganda vs. Cape Verde
13 Nov 2018: Tanzania vs. Uganda