Uganda Cranes will face Kenya’s Harambee Stars in an international friendly tomorrow as they begin preparations for the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers, reports JOHN VIANNEY NSIMBE.
Cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic will have seven of the 23 players he used at the Afcon in January, when they take on Kenya. The last meeting between the two sides ended in a goalless draw at Namboole last September.
Then, that encounter was intended to be a rehearsal for The Cranes before they played Comoros in the same week, whom they beat 1-0 to qualify for their first Afcon appeearance since 1978. This makes the timing of the friendly tomorrow intriguing.
But not to Micho. The Serbian tactician, who guided Cranes to the Afcon, says he is back at work.
“We now need to start building for the 2018 Africa Nations Championship (Chan) qualifiers, the 2019 Afcon qualifiers and the 2018 World Cup qualifiers by testing the players,” Micho said on Monday.
That includes giving a chance to players who have been on the fringes. For example, goalkeepers Benjamin Ochan and Isma Watenga; defenders Shafiq Batambuze and Timothy Awany, midfielders Yasser Mugerwa and Muzamir Mutyaba; and strikers Geoffrey Sserunkuma and Emma Okwi.
This is not the first time Okwi is returning to The Cranes fold after being dropped several times before. In response, Micho said he would have no validation not to call Okwi, who has scored seven goals in six league matches.
Micho added that Okwi has always been a good player but his inactivity at his former Danish club (SonderjyskE) kept him off the Afcon side. That is why Geoffrey Massa and Tonny Mawejje have been exempted, too.
The other one is midfielder Khalid Aucho, who is yet to settle in at new side Red-Star Belgrade. Micho also acknowledged that Uganda is not blessed with many top-quality strikers. That is why when veteran forwards Sserunkuma and Okwi are in scoring mood, they will always be considered.
Sserunkuma scored four goals in four Caf Champions League (CCL) games for KCCA. Micho added: “It will help us if KCCA can at least push it until the Caf Confederation Cup group stages, and keep the momentum going.”
Micho believes that KCCA’s continued participation on the continent can be a springboard for Cranes just like goalkeeper Dennis Onyango’s CCL successful run with Mamelodi Sundowns helped Cranes last year. He is injured, though.
However, Micho has the 2019 Afcon dominating his thoughts, which is why he has brought in young players such as Vipers’ Moses Waiswa and Milton Karisa.
Tomorrow’s friendly is a platform for the non-established players to make an impression. And the stage does not get any bigger for them, with the prospect of facing Tottenham Victor Wanyama in Kenya’s midfield.
International friendlies
Thursday@4pm:
Kenya Harambee v Uganda Cranes
Thursday@11pm:
Nigeria v Senegal
jovi@observer.ug