Uganda Cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has named 18 professionals plying their trade outside Ugandan borders, for next week’s crunch home-and-away double-header against the Stallions of Burkina Faso.
Among the professionals are the usual suspects such as striker Geoffrey Massa, goalkeeper Denis Masinde Onyango, and midfielders Tony Mawejje and Farouk Miya.
But there are also a number of interesting inclusions who haven’t been in the Cranes fold recently, chief among them USA-based Mike Azira of Colorado Rapids and Yasser Mugerwa of South African giant Orlando Pirates. Emmanuel Okwi of Danish top flight side Sonderjsyke returns to the national team for the first time in almost a year, having been dropped last year as his career was on the rocks.
Another interesting inclusion is Proline’s teenage striker Edrisa Lubega, who is currently leading the scoring charts in the second-tier competition, FUFA Big League.
THE FULL TEAM
Goalkeepers: Dennis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Salim Jamal (El Merriekh, Sudan), Robert Odongkara (St George, Ethiopia), James Alitho (Vipers, Uganda)
Defenders: Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Al Shorta, Iraq), Denis Iguma (Al-Ahed, Lebanon), Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania), Isaac Isinde (St George, Ethiopia), Joseph Nsubuga (Bright Stars, Uganda), Joseph Ochaya (KCCA, Uganda), Isaac Muleme (SC Villa, Uganda), Timothy Awanyi (KCCA, Uganda), Denis Okot Oola (KCCA, Uganda), Bernard Muwanga (Bright Stars, Uganda)
Midfielders: William Luwagga Kizito (Feirense, Portugal), Tonny Mawejje (Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur, Iceland), Farouk Miya (Standard Liege, Belgium), Mike Azira (Colorado Rapids, US), Moses Oloya (Bingh Duong, Vietnam), Yassar Mugerwa (Orlando Pirates, South Africa), Godfrey Walusimbi (Gor Mahia), Aucho Khalid (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Ivan Ntege (KCCA, Uganda), Mike Sserumaga (SC Villa, Uganda)
Forwards: Geofrey Massa (Bloemfontein Celtics, South Africa), Emmanuel Okwi (Sonderjsyke, Denmark), Hamis ‘Diego’ Kiiza (Simba, Tanzania), Ceasar Okhuti (KCCA, Uganda), Edrisa Lubega (Proline, Uganda), Erisa Ssekisambu (Vipers, Uganda)