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Micho faces striking headache
Uganda Cranes striker Steven Mukwala (L)in action against Rwanda. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
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Micho had hoped Okwi's vast experience and robustness would get him over the line in Morocco on Thursday next week in a match that will not only determine Uganda's Afcon fate and his job security.
With less than a week to the must-win Afcon qualifier against Niger, Uganda Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic is frantically raking around for the most ideal remedy to striker and skipper Emmanuel Okwi's injury absence.
Micho had hoped Okwi's vast experience and robustness would get him over the line in Morocco on Thursday next week in a match that will not only determine Uganda's Afcon fate and his job security.
"Regretfully, captain Okwi has been sick and will not be available for selection. We pray that the rest of the players don't get injured because everyone knows what this match is about," Micho revealed.
The Serbian gaffer added;" we have to believe in the players we have at the moment and what we shall do with them. I'm happy that many players that were not available in June (when Cranes lost 2-1 to Algeria in Cameroon) are now here." Okwi last scored for Uganda in 2019.
With Okwi out of the picture, Fahad Bayo, Richard Basangwa and US-based forward Frank Ssebufu remain the only nominal striking options at Micho's disposal.
New York Redbull II forward Ssebufu has hit the ground running in the MLS Next Pro but it would take a major leap of faith from Micho to throw him in the deep end in the game of their lives.
Bayo, based in Czech Republic with VFK Vyskov, is a central striker by trade and has partnered Okwi for a while but has recently looked ill-suited to lead the Cranes attack due to his profligacy and predictability.
That has left Micho with the option of banking on Wadi Degla (Egypt) protagonist Basangwa who linked up well with Bayo as a substitute for the goal against Algeria in June although he is more of a wide attack than a centre striker.
Uganda, fourth on Group F table with four points from five matches, requires goals in all shapes to leapfrog second placed Tanzania that has seven points from the same number of matches ahead of their trip to Algeria.
The Algerians are home and dry after gathering maximum points while the Nigerians are rock bottom with just two points from five matches.
Shared responsibility
Modern football formations dictate that goals can flow in from all corners and that is another option Micho can explore more so given that Uganda's only win in the group saw midfielder Rogers Mato net the sole goal against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam in March.
Mato, now based in Turkey, has been Micho's go-to man lately and should be a viable goal route and should Faruku Miya, the hitherto Cranes redeemer that netted the goal that broke the nation's 39-year Afcon jinx in 2016.
Back in June last year as Uganda drew 1-all with Niger at Kitende, Cranes lacked a cutting edge and a plan to attack which must be addressed by Micho before the Marrakesh duel.
Moses Waiswa (KCCA), Karisa Milton (Vipers), Mutyaba Travis (SC Villa), Mugulusi Isma (Feirense, Portugal), Joseph Ochaya Joseph (Al Makawloon, Egypt) and Ibrahim Kasule Ibrahim (New York Red Bull II, USA) are also expected to weigh in with goals and assists.
