Najib Yiga and Siraj Ssentamu were dropped from the Uganda Cranes squad on Monday, January 9 as coach Milutin Micho Sredojevic named his final squad for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament that kicks off January 13 in Algeria.
Micho explained that Yiga and Ssentamu, who play for the StarTimes Uganda Premier League champions Vipers SC, were left out due to injuries picked up during the Cranes’ eleven-day camp in Tunisia where the team played three warm-up games against Sudan (2-2), Cameroon (1-1) and Mali (0-0).
“It’s tough for any coach to release players who have been part of the training for long but factors beyond our control, can’t allow us to take Yiga and Ssentamu to Algeria. Both players will remain part of our future plans with the AFCON qualifiers coming up in March,” Micho told FUFA website on Monday night.
The final 23-man squad includes goalkeepers Nafian Alionzi (URA FC), Joel Mutakubwa (Gaddafi FC), Jack Komakech (Vipers SC); defenders Ashiraf Mandela (Vipers SC), James Begisa (URA FC), Derrick Ndahiro (URA FC), Isa Mubiru (Vipers SC), Hillary Mukundane (Vipers SC), Kenneth Semakula(SC Villa), Geofrey Wasswa (KCCA FC), Gift Fred (SC Villa); midfielders Marvin Youngman (Vipers SC), Abdu Karim Watambala(Vipers SC) and Moses Waiswa (KCCA FC).
The forwards are Milton Karisa (Vipers SC), Ibrahim Orit (Vipers SC), Travis Mutyaba (SC Villa), Moses Aliro (Wakiso Giants FC), Rogers Kassim Mato (KCCA FC), Bright Anukani (Vipers SC), Titus Ssematimba (Wakiso Giants), Frank Ssebufu (Wakiso Giants FC) and Bright Stars FC’s Nelson Senkatuka.
According to FUFA Spokesman Ahmed Hussein Marsha, the Cranes are set leave Tunisia on Wednesday, January 11 for Algeria. The team will be based in Annaba for their Group B matches against DR Congo on January 14, Senegal on January 18 and Ivory Coast on January 22.
