Mawejje to use Afcon route out of relegated Throttur

Experienced Mawejje is set to represent Cranes at Cecafa. File photo

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One of Uganda’s pillars as the Cranes head into their first Nations Cup tournament in four decades, the midfield player has struggled to have regular playing time at the Icelandic club.

For Tony Mawejje and several of his international teammates, it has been a year of mixed fortunes; a year of anguish, but also of one of joy, relief and ecstasy.
Together with his captain on the national team, Geoffrey Massa, and midfield partner Khalid Aucho, they have had frustrating times at their respective clubs in Iceland and South Africa.
Yet the year has hardly been empty, the trio helping Uganda to the country’s first Nations Cup finals in four decades.

Even the likes of Hassan Wasswa, who had to seek refuge at Vipers, there is little to boast about their club football this season and he would be the first to admit he is there only temporarily.
Farouk Miya has also since struggled to get first team football despite a promising start. He has not featured in Standard Liege’s last seven league matches in Belgium.
However, it would be too early to sound quitting drums for Miya, a young man in his virgin 20s. He still commands the faith of his employers, who have sent him to the development side to man up.

Enough of it
But for Mawejje, he seems to have had enough of it. And Afcon comes at the right time for the Throttur midfield player, whose last match for the club ended in a sending off in 1-1 draw with Olafsvik just before Ghana vs Uganda.
Unfortunately, that was his final match for the season as he missed the club’s last two games through suspension.
“God knows I just need to use this Afcon chance to get out of here (Throttur),” Mawejje, whose club were eventually relegated after finishing bottom of the table in the Icelandic Premier League, told Daily Monitor.
Uganda do come up against familiar opponents at the Nations Cup finals having been drawn in the same group with the 2018 World Cup pool-mates Ghana and Egypt.

Good for knockout
But while Uganda have had Ghana’s number in the last decade or so - the most recent record reading one win and two draws for the Cranes - the Black Stars are a different entity at tournaments as showed over the different Nations Cup and World Cup finals.
In terms of competition pedigree, Uganda are minnows compared to Egypt, Ghana and the other Group D team, Mali.
“Qualifiers are totally different from a tournament,” admitted Mawejje, But still football remains the same that you have to face your opponent’s for 90 minutes.”
“The disadvantage is the suspensions and injuries which may make a team miss some players at some point.

“But it can be dealt with because a squad consists of over 20 players.” Mawejje, approaching his 30s, acknowledges the task at hand once they open against Ghana on January 17 but is confident.
“It’s a tough group but trust me we will get out it,” he thrilled, “Because we have worked hard to be where we are.
“And again you have to beat the best to be the best. So whoever comes our way we will encounter because we have something to fulfil ahead of us in this Afcon.”