Women football: U-16s set for Uefa Friendship tourney

Coach Charles Ayiekoh will lead a group of U-16 national team female footballers at the invitational April 9-19 Uefa Friendship in Istanbul, Turkey.

The tournament is an initiative by Uefa and will attract hosts Turkey, Botswana, USA, Vietnam in Group A plus Uganda, China, Paraguay and Wales in Group B of its inaugural edition that will take place at the Turkish Football Federation;s training centre in Riva.

To assess their readiness the U-16s played with Kawempe Muslim’s Junior Team at Kawempe Muslim Secondary School on Sunday afternoon and lost 3-2.

Kevin Nanyunja, Belinda Nabawanuka and Mable Adong scored for Kawempe while

Bushirah Nalunkuuma and Vanessa Namazzi got the goals for the national team, whose assistant coach Moses Nkata knows everything about Kawempe, where he is also assistant coach.

“We played Kawempe because they have competitive women’s football teams at all levels,” Ayiekoh said.

“From what we saw, we shall be very competitive in the tournament. It rained here (in Kawempe) so the pitch and the conditions were not the best but the girls gave their all and that is encouraging.

"I am also confident because school teams are in the thick of their post primary games’ qualifiers so the fitness levels of the team are very good,” Ayiekoh added.

U-16 Squad

Goalkeepers: Dorcus Namboozo (Amus College School), Victory Bynam Tendo (Rines SS), Rosemary Namatovu (Bukedea Comprehensive School)

Defenders: Charity Katusiime (Tagy High School), Grace Adong (Bukedea), Sharlom Nambuya (Amus), Winnie Kabugho (King of Kings SS), Ritah Anitah Nambuusi (Lamminas Secondary School)

Midfielders: Bushira Muhammad Nalunkuuma, Asia Kakai, Shafiga Tamisi (Amus), Justine Kinsumbya (Tagy), Monica Bulya (Rines), Gloria Apio (Bukedea), Vanessa Namazzi, Patricia Namugenyi, Shakirah Nakintu (Kawempe Muslim SS)

Forwards: Angel Ainembabazi (Rines), Isabella Winfred Blick Kabarozi (Uganda Martyrs High School, Lubaga), Shadia Nabirye, Yusraa Nambooze (Kawempe)