National beach soccer team off to Zanzibar
Dec 03, 2014
National beach soccer team captain Derrick Teko has said that their trip to Zanzibar will give the squad some needed experience ahead of qualifiers for the 2015 FIFA Beach World Cup.
By Swalley Kenyi
Beach Soccer international friendly
Saturday
Zanzibar v Uganda
National beach soccer team captain Derrick Teko has said that their trip to Zanzibar will give the squad some needed experience ahead of qualifiers for the 2015 FIFA Beach World Cup.
A squad of 12 players and nine officials left by road to Zanzibar last night without a head of delegation, who should by FUFA rules be an executive member, due to financial constraints.
FUFA will be represented by its beach soccer delegate Anthony Tumwesigye. The contingent is expected to arrive in the coastal city of Zanzibar on Friday in time for the match on Saturday.
Teko said before departure, “This is the first of its kind and a lot is expected from us (team). We are privileged and we have to do our best to represent the country.”
“The team we are going to play has a lot of experience. But we also have our strength over them. With good defence and good coaching staff, we cannot be taken for granted because we want to make up for the Uganda Cranes failures in the Nations Cup qualifiers,” Teko explained.
National beach soccer team coach Harunah Kebba had expressed anxiety ahead of their first ever engagement but Teko said that it is their role as players to convince FUFA and UBSA to keep them in the race for the World Cup campaign.
Uganda Sand Cranes are using the friendly to prepare for the AFCON finals in Seychelles next April where two African countries will qualify to the World Cup in Portugal three months later. Uganda qualified for the AFCON by invitation but will have to finish among the top two in Africa to qualify for the World Cup.
The team; D. Teko (captain), D. Muganga (vice captain), A. Bugembe, M. Kalule, D. Kasujja, A. Naturinda, B. Lukooya, S. Latif, E. Kalyowa, B. Nkuubi, R. Somoka, J. Lavita. Officials: A. Tumwesigye, H. Kebba, P. Sseguya, D. Mutabazi, H. Jjunju, A. Mwebe, A. Akoya, A. Kabali, M. Kayondo.
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