Big boosts for Crested Cranes as Lutalo gets Morocco plea, Aturo boost

Captain Fantastic. Ruth Aturo (R).

What you need to know:

  • The Crested Cranes have their wish granted by Fufa as they are now set to fly out to Marrakech on Wednesday for a training camp.

Coach George Lutalo will have little to worry about his preparations for the July 2-23 Africa Women Cup of Nations (Awcon) in Morocco.

On Saturday night, the mood in camp was further lifted by the arrival of dependable goalkeeper and captain Ruth Aturo.

Aturo joined Finnish club  Katkan Tyovaen Palloillijat at the start of the year and was starting to settle into the team when national team duty came calling.

“I want to congratulate the team on the winning the Cecafa (Women Championship),” Aturo said. 

“That was a nice fight and I hope we can continue with the same energy in Morocco. I’m here to share my experience and skills so that we all represent our country in the best way possible.”

But she is not the last to arrive after Fauzia Najjemba, Tracy Jones Akiror and Yudaya Nakayenze, who all joined over a week ago, as Austria-based Viola Nambi and Sweden-based Ritah Kivumbi are set to join the team in Morocco.

In a video released by Fufa after Uganda’s Cecafa triumph on June 11, Lutalo said his team would still require more friendly matches with teams that play a similar brand of football to what his players will face up to at the Awcon.

The Crested Cranes have their wish granted by Fufa as they are now set to fly out to Marrakech on Wednesday for a training camp.

This will help them acclimatise to the conditions in Morocco and play two friendly matches against two yet-to-be confirmed teams, which should inform Lutalo’s final squad for the tournament.

The team will then move to Rabat on June 29 for their first two Awcon group matches against Senegal and hosts Morocco on July 3 and 5 respectively.

The last group match against Burkina Faso is in Casablanca on July 8.

Awcon finals 

Group A
Morocco    Burkina Faso
Senegal    Uganda
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