AFCON 2020 qualifiers
November 13th: Burkina Faso vs Uganda – Ouagadougou
November 17th: Uganda vs Malawi – Kampala
MENGO – The Uganda football national team-the Cranes’ head coach Jonathan McKinstry has summoned a total of 25 players for the AFCON 2020 qualifying fixtures in November 2019.
Uganda is slated to take on Burkina Faso on the 13th of November before hosting Malawi four days later at Mandela National Stadium.
The summoned team was confirmed during a press conference held at FUFA House in Mengo on Wednesday, October 30.
The squad features 5 local-based players, three from KCCA FC and two from Vipers SC.
KCCA FC will be represented by goalkeeper and captain Charles Lukwago, midfielder Nicholas Kasozi and forward Allan Okello.
The two from Vipers SC are unsurprisingly captain-Halid Lwaliwa and current Uganda Premier League (UPL) top scorer Fahad Bayo.
Nineteen (19) players have been retained from the squad of 23 that featured at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt where Uganda was eliminated at the round of 16.
Having missed the above-mentioned tournament due to injury, Swedish based forward Alexis Bbakka returns to the fold as one of the four forwards.
Uganda’s preparations will be boosted with the fact that they will travel via a chartered plane to Ouagadougou and return in time to prepare for the game against Malawi at Namboole.
Relatedly, it has been revealed that Abdallah Mubiru will be McKinstry’s assistant coach.
The Police FC head coach has been in charge of the National team on interim basis, ever since Sebastien Desabre left.
The others on the Cranes technical team will be Livingstone Mbabazi who will work as the second assistant to McKinstry and Fred Kajoba who will be tasked with the goalkeepers’ coaching role.
The squad of 25 that was named on Tuesday morning
Goalkeepers
Dennis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Robert Odongkara (Horoya AC, Guinea), Charles Lukwago (KCCA, Uganda).
Defenders
Ronald Mukiibi (Ostersunds FK, Sweden), Nico Wakiro Wadada (Azam, Tanzania), Bevis Mugabi (Motherwell, Scotland), Murushid Jjuuko (Wydad Casablanca, Morocco), Timothy Denis Awany (Sport Club Ironi Ashdod, Israel), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers, Uganda), Isaac Muleme (Viktoria Zizkov, Czech Republic), Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe, Democratic Republic of Congo).
Midfielders
Michael Azira (Chicago Fire, USA), Khalid Aucho (Misr Lel Makasa, Egypt), Tadeo Lwanga (Tanta, Egypt), Nicholas Kasozi (KCCA, Uganda), Allan Okello (KCCA, Uganda), Allan Kyambadde (El Gouna, Egypt), Farouk Miya (Konyaspor, Turkey), Abdu Lumala (Pyramids, Egypt), William Kizito Luwagga (Shakhter Karaganda, Kazahstan).
Forwards
Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Ittihad Alexandria, Egypt), Patrick Henry Kaddu (RS Berkane, Morocco), Alexis Bbakka (Carlstad United BK, Sweden), Fahad Bayo (Vipers, Uganda).
