Sserunkuma anxious to show prowess on debut

Gor Mahia’s striker Daniel ‘Mzee’ Sserunkuma has been given another chance to play for Uganda Cranes by coach Bobby Williamson in the friendly against Rwanda this week.

The Kenya-based player turned down a call-up last November as the national team was preparing for the Cecafa Tusker Cup, which they won for a record 13th time.

At the time, the former Victors and Express forward, then in a hot streak of form that took Gor Mahia to the brink of the Kenya Premier League (KPL) title, was in a catch-22 situation. His options included playing for either Uganda or Kenya.

“I will definitely honour it (call),” Sserunkuma was quoted on www.supersport.com. “ I am very happy to have received another call up to play for Cranes.”

It’s quite an unconditional change of heart. “I want to thank the coach for calling me up but I don’t think I can honour the Uganda Cranes camp,” he told the same website last year.

“My focus is currently with my club Gor Mahia who have important matches both in the league and the FKF semi-finals.”

Important games
Indeed those games were important. Gor Mahia, one of two most popular clubs in Kenya alongside AFC Leopards, lost out on the KPL title to Tusker on the final day.

They regrouped to win the Kenya Cup. “A player gets motivation when a coach shows faith and confidence and I feel Williamson has shown this to me,” Sserunkuma added.

He is expected to join the 22-man team today, one day after the rest of the contingent started training ahead of the game in Kigali, Rwanda on February 6.

The striker scored 17 goals in the KPL, one less than the eventual top scorer, Sofapaka’s John Baraza though Sserunkuma got more than a consolation by bagging the KPL Player of the Year award.

With Bobby fancying a trident lately, Sserunkuma might slot into the attack with the Tanzania-based pair of Hamis Kizza and Brian Umony. The match is an official Fifa international friendly organised to give the Scott a look at his team ahead of the World Cup qualifying engagements due in March.

Rwanda Football Federation, Ferwafa will cater for all the visitors’ bills for the game at the Amahoro Stadium.

SUMMONED PLAYERS
Goalkeepers: Hamza Muwonge (Vipers), Abel Dhaira (Simba,Tz) & Ali Kimera (Victoria)
Defenders: Simeon Masaba (URA), Nicholas Wadada (Vipers), Savio Kabugo and Denis Guma (both Victoria), Fahad Kawooya and Habib Kavuma (both KCC) & Fred Kakooza (Simba)
Midfielders: Hassan Wasswa, Michael Birungi and Brian Majwega (all KCC), Saidi Kyeyune (URA), Mike Sserumaga (Proline), Joseph Mpande (Vipers), Sam Ssekitto (Simba) & Willy Kavuma (Express)
Strikers: Hamis “Diego” Kiiza (Yanga, Tz), Daniel Sserunkuma (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Brian Umony (Azam, Tz) & Ali Feni (URA)

[email protected]