SC Villa Release Stars For Senegal

By Peter Ekarot UGANDA Cranes will have SC Villa's quartet after flight connections between Entebbe and Dakar Airports were made to ensure that the players return in time. Cranes manager Sam Kabugo disclosed yesterday that he had met Villa officials and convinced them that it was a national cause and struck a deal to have Cranes fly back the night after the March 25 game in Dakar against Senegal in the Africa Nations Cup qualifiers. Villa chairman-Technical Sam Tamale confirmed they were in a club executive meeting to approve the deal. Villa had withdrawn defensive duo of Timothy Batabaire and Joseph Kizito Nestory, striker Hussein Mbalangu and midfielder Hakim Magumba fearing that they might not return in time for the club's crucial CAF Champions' League first round home game against Sportive Vital'O. Kabugo said: "I met Villa officials and we sat and worked out a comprehensive deal to help both sides. Cranes and Villa both are on national duty in different capacities. Cranes must qualify for Mali 2002 Nations Cup finals while Villa have to get a comfortable victory over Vital'O ahead of the away leg. Villa's Mandela contacted business associates in aviation industry to link FUFA so that Cranes are booked on the earliest flight out of Dakar after the game." Ends