Residing at Speke Resort Hotel since their arrival on Sunday, the Burkina Faso team is ready and highly-motivated. Anything can happen. According to the Cranes Technical team led by newly-appointed local coach Abdallah Mubiru, the Cranes are ready too. To Mubiru, the Cranes will win the crucial game against the leaders of the four-team log Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso’s Under-20 team was dumped from recently concluded Under-20 AFCON tournament held in Mauritania on Semi-finals, by Uganda’s Hippos. This game is important.
Mubiru sees before others do, so, his lineup today is likely to be dominated by players who know the turf at Kitende very well. Who are the players likely to make today’s starting eleven at Kitende?
Denis Onyango
He is among the most experienced and oldest players on the Cranes team. At almost 36 years of age, you expect this custodian to lead a team that will do all it takes to win a game played on such a confortable turf like the one at Kitende. He will captain the team. Onyango is among the most celebrated goal keepers in Africa. Onyango is indeed a top class goal keeper. He will to fight to the last minute to help the Cranes obtain maximum points against resilient Burkina Faso star-studded side.
Nicholas Wadada
At the age 26 years of age, one should conclude that Nicholas Wadada is among the most experienced players on the team to face Burkina Faso today at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende. He knows the artificial turf at Kitende very well. If given opportunity by gaffer Abdullah Mubiru, Wadada will do what the technical team expects from him. Wadada joined Vipers at the age of 16 years. He is today almost 27 years. He knows what he is doing.
Ochaya Joseph
Playing for Kampala Capital City Authority and TP Mazembe is enough to qualify this 27-year-old football player to be a national team material. Summoned at the nation about eight years ago, Ochaya has been a regular player since them. He has one of the softest left feet on the continent. Ochaya is too among the most experienced players making the Cranes squad. Intelligent Abdallah Mubiru was right when he considered him. He will start the game today.
Murushid Jjuuko
He is currently playing for on form Express Football Club and he is among the very few local based players that were summoned by Abdallah Mubiru to prepare for today’s tie. The diminutive young man will not disappoint. He is a good defender.
Halid Lwaliwa
This centre back is truly at home. He started his competitive football at St. Mary’s -Kitende. Lwaliwa is currently playing for Uganda Premier League second placed Vipers SC. Born in 1996, Lwaliwa is still a young player with a glittering future ahead of him. This centre back cans anything with the ball. He makes productive tackles. Lwaliwa doesn’t respect players because of the names they possess. Lwaliwa knows the Kitende based pitch. He will work hand in hand with the rest of players in defense to stop Burkinabe play makers from wreaking havoc.
Taddewo Lwanga
Taddewo Lwanga has played football for Sports Club Villa, Express fc and Vipers Sports Club. It is believed that Lwanga knows the Vipers at Kitende pitch in and out. Mubiru has a reason why he has consider young Lwanga to be among his players to start such a crucial game against a winning team, Burkina Faso. Lwanga is currently playing for Tanzania’s Simba. He is good performance will be a gift, to the Tanzanian population particularly fc fans who are today mourning the death of their president John Pombe Magufuli.
Mike Azira
At 34 years Mike Azira is among the oldest players in Uganda Cranes. He is a diminutive man in his mid-thirties but, trust me, Mike Azira will be among the men to watch at Kitende in Wakiso today.
Adul Lumala
He needs no introduction. It should be noted that he is barely 24 years of age. His performance in the 2019 AFCON tournament in Egypt left every Ugandan satisfied.
Farouk Miya
At just 23 years of age, he has managed to score almost 20 goals for Uganda. In a country where real strikers are rare, a sane coach can ignore Miya. This Miya can score against any team if really other players on the team are willing to cooperate with him. Expect a lot from this young man whose life is football. He will wreak havoc across the Kitende pitch today. Considered by as we expected, Miya will do as asked. Farouk Miya is a talented player.
Patrick Kaddu
Growing up a very poor child and, because he loves to persist, he sat his Primary Leaving Examinations in 2005. Kaddu is a determined man. He loves what he does. Football changed Kaddu’s life. He will do what the coach will instruct him do. Patrick Kaddu knows when to shoot, to pass the ball. He will dribble past defenders when it necessary. On his day, Kaddu can score from any angel. Coached by Mike Mutebi while at KCCA, we wish to say, Kaddu knows football.
Emmanuel Okwi
He was born in 1992. Emmanuel Okwi and custodian Onyango are arguably the most experienced players on the Cranes team. His brain knows exactly what to do to score goals. Emmanuel Okwi knows what an important player like him does for the national side he is selected to play for. It will not surprise me if Emmanuel Okwi helps the Cranes to win the Burkina Faso game in those moments when the whole country is eager to see it happen.
