Mulitin Micho Sredojevic, the national team tactician has Friday evening is flying to North Africa with the Uganda men’s national football team, The Cranes for training camps in Tunis and Dubai ahead of the prestigious African Nations Cup 2017 finals.
Check in at Entebbe International Airport is at 7:00pm and departure is at 8:00pm aboard Ethiopian Airlines. Ethiopian based goalkeeper Robert Odongkara, Moses Oloya and Geoffrey ‘Baba’ Kizito from Vietnam and Portugal based William Luwagga Kizito will join the team in Tunisia while Denis Onyango will join the squad in Dubai on January 6 after the Caf Awards in Abuja, Nigeria.
Having trimmed it to 26 before tonight’s departure, Micho is expected to drop three more players from the team next week in contention for 23 places as Uganda prepares for her return to Afcon after 39 years.
Sweden-based Ronald Mukiibi, upcoming goalkeeper Ismail Watenga, Vitalis Tabu and Derrick Nsibambi were the four players dropped ahead of the Cranes trip to Tunisia.
Micho revealed that the final 23-man list will include three goalkeepers, four central defenders, four full backs, four holding midfielders, four central midfielders and four strikers.
While in Tunisia, Uganda are scheduled to play a friendly against The Carthage Eagles and then continue to UAE where friendlies against Slovakia and Ivory Coast are arranged.
After the Tunisia camp, the team will then fly out to Abu Dhabi for friendlies against Slovakia and Ivory Coast on the 8th and 11th January 2017 respectively.
Uganda takes on Ghana in their opening match on January 17 at Stade de Port Gentil before facing Egypt four days later at the same stadium.
The Cranes then take on Mali in their last Group D tie on January 25 at Stade d’Oyem.
The traveling Uganda Cranes team to Tunisia and Dubai:
Goalkeepers: Dennis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Robert Odongkara (St George, Ethiopia), Benjamin Ochan (KCCA, Uganda), Salim Jamal Magoola (El Merriekh, Sudan)
Defenders: Denis Iguma (Al Ahed, Lebanon), Nicholas Wadada (Vipers, Uganda), Joseph Ochaya (KCCA, Uganda), Shafiq Batambuze (Tusker, Kenya), Isaac Isinde (unattached), Timothy Awany (KCCA, Uganda), Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania)
Midfielders: William Luwagga Kizito (Rio Ave, Portugal), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Vipers, Uganda), Muzamiru Mutyaba (KCCA, Uganda), Godfrey Walusimbi (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Tonny Mawejje (Thróttur, Iceland), Khalid Aucho (Baroka FC, South Africa ), Mike Azira (Colorado Rapids, USA), Moses Oloya (Hanoi T and T) and Geoffrey Kizito (Than Quang Ninh, Vietnam).
Strikers: Geofrey Sserunkuma (KCCA, Uganda), Muhammed Shaban (Onduparaka, Uganda), Yunus Sentamu (Ilves, Finland), Edrisa Lubega (Proline, Uganda), Geoffrey Massa (Baroka, South Africa), Faruku Miya (Standard Liege, Belgium)
