mtnfootball.com
Uganda Cranes will face Asian outfit Iraq in an International friendly on October 2. The game will, however, be played in Amman, Jordan, due to security concerns in Iraq.
The CECAFA champions were slated to face Iraq two months ago, but the game was cancelled after the world football body FIFA banned the country from holding any games in their stadiums because of security concerns.
“We have managed to secure a friendly match against Iraq which will take place in and we hope to use this match to expose our players who might make it on the squad for the 2014 Africa Nations Championship in South Africa,” coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic told MTNFootball.com at the FA headquarters in Mengo.
Micho said they have invited 31 players who will start training on Thursday before the trip on Monday.
The coach said he expects his team to benefit a lot from facing Iraq, who have been in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and also had their U-20 team perform well in the U-20 World Cup.
The coach explained that Hassan Wasswa Mawanda, captain of the team that qualified for the 2014 CHAN and a regular for the senior side, will not make the trip as the technical committee decided that they may only take one player from each team that has league matches on Tuesday so that the league is not interrupted.
[showmyads]
“So we shall take Brian Majwega from KCCA FC,” explained Micho. The Cranes also hope to have two more international build-up games before heading to Nairobi, Kenya, to defend their CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup title.
Players called-up:
Goalkeepers: Brian Bwete, Benjamin Ochan, Sam Watenga, Charles Lukwago, Martin Elungat
Defenders: Julius Ntambi, Hassan Wasswa, Simon Namwanje, Fredrick Kigozi, Savio Kabugo, Richard Kasagga, Twaha Wananda, Yusuf Mukisa, Jonathan Mugabi, Ayub Kisalita, Timothy Musinguzi
Midfielders: Denis Iguma, Stephen Luswata, Murushid Juuko, Hamisi Katende, Joseph Mpande, Brian Nkuubi, Yasin Kalyango, Fenis Moses Ali, Saidi Kyeyune, Brian Majwega
Strikers: Francis Olaki, Frank Kalanda, Alex Wataba, Simon Okwi, Dan Oyirwoth