Williamson returns Ochan, Cranes to camp in DRC
Aug 14, 2011
NATIONAL Coach Robert Williamson has recalled striker Patrick Ochan on to the national squad that is expected to end Uganda Cranes over three decades wait to return for the Africa Nations Cup when they meet Angola in Luanda on September 4.
By Swalley Kenyi
Nations Cup qualifier
September 4
Angola v Uganda
NATIONAL Coach Robert Williamson has recalled striker Patrick Ochan on to the national squad that is expected to end Uganda Cranes over three decades wait to return for the Africa Nations Cup when they meet Angola in Luanda on September 4.
The towering striker, who plies his trade at the DR Congo side TP Mazembe is expected to join the squad of largely foreign based players in a camp in Kinshasa enroute to Luanda. Cranes coach Robert Williamson said that the squad will go in camp only five days to the game due to availability of the professional players and FUFA believes that spending the days in in the Congolese Capital will allow the players acclimatizes for the Central African country, whose temperature differences are close.
The camp in Kinshasa makes it for FUFA’s failed plan to have the team play an away international friendly prior to the game. It is not clear whether they will play against the Congolese Leopards, who are also preparing to take on Senegal on September 3. Ochan was part of the 23-player Cranes squad that trounced Angola 3-0 in the first leg at Namboole last year but failed to make the final team.
Although he is the only new face Williamson has added to the squad that conquered Guinea Bissau (2-0) at Namboole in June, Hamuza Muwonge, Saka Mpiima, Lawrence Segawa, Juma Saddam, Dan Wagaluka, Brian Umony and Emma Okwi have been dropped.
U-23 national team captain Denis Guma is also dropped. Williamson argued that the decision is meant to allow the player concentrate on the All Africa Games that starts in Maputo, Mozambique September 3 -18.
But other Kobs stars Hamis Kiiza, Mike Mutyaba and Owen Kasule are on the senior squad that will fly out to Kinshasa on August 28 before heading to Luanda on September 2. Cranes media coordinator Katende Malibu said that some of the dropped players may be call upon at a later date depending on the team’s preparations progress.
“We cannot have everybody on the squad. I will have 18 players to make the final squad that is why other players were left out,†Williamson explained his decision.
With ten points gathered from the campaign so far, Uganda needs a point in their two remaining fixtures against Angola (September 4) and Kenya (October 8) to qualify for the finals for the first time since 1978.
Squad: D.Onyango (Mpumalanga, SA), A.Dhaira (IBV, Iceland), N.Kizito (Partizan, Serbia), H.Kalungi (Richmond, USA), A.Mwesigwa (FC Ordabasy, Kazakhstan), I.Sekagya (Salzburg, Austria), I.Isinde (St George, Ethiopia), G.Walusimbi (Bunna), S.Masaba (URA),M.Mudde (Sofapaka, Kenya), V.Kayizzi (Novi Pazar, Serbia), H.Wasswa (Altay, Turkey), T.Mawejje (IBV, Iceland), J.Kabagambe (El Neel, Sudan), M.Mutyaba (Bunna), S.Bengo (URA), O.Kasule (Bunna), D.Obua (Hearts, Scotland), P.Ochan (TP Mazembe) G.Ssentongo (URA), H.Kiiza (Yanga), G.Sserunkuma (Vasco Dagama, SA), G.Massa (Itesalat, Egypt)
Nations Cup qualifier
September 4
Angola v Uganda
NATIONAL Coach Robert Williamson has recalled striker Patrick Ochan on to the national squad that is expected to end Uganda Cranes over three decades wait to return for the Africa Nations Cup when they meet Angola in Luanda on September 4.
The towering striker, who plies his trade at the DR Congo side TP Mazembe is expected to join the squad of largely foreign based players in a camp in Kinshasa enroute to Luanda. Cranes coach Robert Williamson said that the squad will go in camp only five days to the game due to availability of the professional players and FUFA believes that spending the days in in the Congolese Capital will allow the players acclimatizes for the Central African country, whose temperature differences are close.
The camp in Kinshasa makes it for FUFA’s failed plan to have the team play an away international friendly prior to the game. It is not clear whether they will play against the Congolese Leopards, who are also preparing to take on Senegal on September 3. Ochan was part of the 23-player Cranes squad that trounced Angola 3-0 in the first leg at Namboole last year but failed to make the final team.
Although he is the only new face Williamson has added to the squad that conquered Guinea Bissau (2-0) at Namboole in June, Hamuza Muwonge, Saka Mpiima, Lawrence Segawa, Juma Saddam, Dan Wagaluka, Brian Umony and Emma Okwi have been dropped.
U-23 national team captain Denis Guma is also dropped. Williamson argued that the decision is meant to allow the player concentrate on the All Africa Games that starts in Maputo, Mozambique September 3 -18.
But other Kobs stars Hamis Kiiza, Mike Mutyaba and Owen Kasule are on the senior squad that will fly out to Kinshasa on August 28 before heading to Luanda on September 2. Cranes media coordinator Katende Malibu said that some of the dropped players may be call upon at a later date depending on the team’s preparations progress.
“We cannot have everybody on the squad. I will have 18 players to make the final squad that is why other players were left out,†Williamson explained his decision.
With ten points gathered from the campaign so far, Uganda needs a point in their two remaining fixtures against Angola (September 4) and Kenya (October 8) to qualify for the finals for the first time since 1978.
Squad: D.Onyango (Mpumalanga, SA), A.Dhaira (IBV, Iceland), N.Kizito (Partizan, Serbia), H.Kalungi (Richmond, USA), A.Mwesigwa (FC Ordabasy, Kazakhstan), I.Sekagya (Salzburg, Austria), I.Isinde (St George, Ethiopia), G.Walusimbi (Bunna), S.Masaba (URA),M.Mudde (Sofapaka, Kenya), V.Kayizzi (Novi Pazar, Serbia), H.Wasswa (Altay, Turkey), T.Mawejje (IBV, Iceland), J.Kabagambe (El Neel, Sudan), M.Mutyaba (Bunna), S.Bengo (URA), O.Kasule (Bunna), D.Obua (Hearts, Scotland), P.Ochan (TP Mazembe) G.Ssentongo (URA), H.Kiiza (Yanga), G.Sserunkuma (Vasco Dagama, SA), G.Massa (Itesalat, Egypt)