A total of nine players from the Azam Uganda Premier League (AUPL) have made the cut in Uganda Cranes’ squad for training camps in Tunis and Dubai ahead of 2017 AFCON finals.The team leaves on Friday evening for a camp in Tunisia where they are scheduled to play a friendly against The Carthage Eagles and then continue to UAE where friendlies against Slovakia and Ivory Coast are arranged.
The nine local based players include one goalkeeper, Benjamin Ochan from KCCA, defenders, Timothy Awany, Joseph Ochaya (KCCA) and Nicholas Wadada (Vipers), midfielders, Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Vipers) and Muzamiru Mutyaba (KCCA) as well as three forwards in the experienced Geoffrey Sserunkuma (KCCA), Onduparaka’s Muhammad Shaban and Proline’s Edirisa Lubega.
Mulitin Micho Sredojevic, the national team tactician however dropped KCCA striker Derrick Nsibambi, Vipers first choice custodian Ismail Watenga as well as SC Villa attacker Vitalis Tabu.
Three more players will be dropped from the team next week when the final 23 man squad to represent Uganda at the finals in Gabon is read out.
Uganda is in group A alongside Mali, Ghana and Egypt.
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)