FUFA President Lawrence Mulindwa shakes hands with Cranes Captain Andy Mwesigwa before the Senegal Match last year.
Final preparations in line with the Cranes’ travel to Liberia for the first leg of the Brazil 2014 World Cup Qualifiers match have been concluded this Friday morning.
The team goes into residential training at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole on Monday 18th March 2013 and fly out on Thursday aboard Kenya Airways.
In a technical meeting attended by the FA President Mr. Lawrence Mulindwa at the federation headquarters in Mengo, it has also been resolved that the team camps in Accra City, Ghana for three days before connecting to Monrovia.
Liberia hosts Uganda on Sunday 14th March at Samuel Kanyan Doe Sports complex. Strikers Geoffrey Massa (Cyprus) and Emmanuel Okwi (Tunisia) will link up with the rest of the team in Accra.
Meanwhile Geoffrey Walusimbi, Musa Mudde, Abby Dhaira and Robert Ssentongo have already arrived in the country. Joseph Oloya, Kizito Geoffrey and Onyango Denis are expected this Sunday while Captain Andy Mwesigwa, Isaac Isinde and Mike Mutyaba will be in camp Monday morning.
Kalungi Henry will be the last arrival on Tuesday while Joseph Ochaya is already in Ghana where he features for the Premier League giants Asante Kotoko.
GOAL KEEPERS: Denis Onyango (Soundown United, SA), Abel Dhaira (Simba SC, TZ) and Hamza Muwonge (Vipers SC)
DEFENDERS: Denis Guma (SCVU), Isaac Isinde (St. George Ethiopia), Nicholas Wadada (Vipers), Godfrey Walusimbi (CS Don Bosco, DRC), Simeon Masaba (URA FC), Joseph Ochaya (Asante Koto, Ghana), Henry Kalungi (Railhawks, USA) and Andrew Mwesigwa (FC Ordabasy, Kazakhstan).
MIDFIELDERS: Luwaga Kizito (Leixieos, Portugal), Said Kyeyune (URA FC), Musa Mudde (Simba SC), Hassan Wasswa (KCC FC), Boban Zirintusa (Power Dynamos, Zimbabwe), Geoffrey ‘Baba’ Kizito (Sai Gon, Vietnam), Moses Oloya (Vietnam) and Mike Mutyaba (TP Mazembe, DRC)
STRIKERS: Geoffrey Massa (Yenicam, Cyprus), Brian Umony (Azam, TZ), Hamis ‘Diego’ Kiiza (Yanga, TZ), Daniel Sserunkuma (Gor Mahia, Kenya) and Emmanuel Okwi (Etoile Du Sahel, Tunisia and Robert Ssentongo)
Training starts on Sunday 17th March 2013. Tonny Mawejje has been ruled out of this match while Robert Ssentongo joins the list for strikers.
The Football Federation in Liberia has fixed 24th March (Sunday) as the match date for the Liberia-Uganda World Cup qualifiers first leg clash. The confirmation letter copied to CAF was received in Mengo early this week through the Liberian FA General Secretary Mr. Alfonso Armah. FUFA is still in the process of securing another international friendly match before this fixture.
FUFA Excom meeting on
The FUFA Executive Committee under the chairmanship of the Federation President Lawrence Mulindwa will convene this Friday morning to discuss a number of issues related to football development. Among the issues on the agenda will include the National teams’ status, statutes for FUFA member associations and statutory proclamations among others.
Beach Soccer changes
The Beach Soccer Competitions committee (BSCC) has postponed the third league match day of 24th February 2013 on the UBSA Calendar to a date yet to be named.
The matches affected include Uhuru Cabs Vs Multec BI, Buwanika Bulls Vs Kabowa AC, Fisheries TI Vs Richmond Strikers, St. Lawrence University Vs Zai Plaza, MUBS Vs Kabalagala Rangers, Stomers Vs Mengo Intl and Galaticals Vs KIU. The new arrangement is to give the University teams that recently participated in the East African University Games ample time to prepare for their next engagements. This will also create enough time for the preliminary works a head of the National Post Primary Beach Soccer Championship slated for March Saturday 2nd at Lido Beach Entebbe. The next league match day will be on 10th March. BSCC will release the full fixtures involving University teams later next week.
Amrouche takes Kenyan job
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on Wednesday appointed Belgian Adel Amrouche as manager to replace Frenchman Henri Michel who quit in December last year. The 44-year-old former Burundi coach was unveiled at a news conference attended by the Sports Minister, Ababu Namwamba, and Football Kenya Federation chairman Sam Nyamweya. Like Michel, who resigned citing differences with the Kenyan football authorities over the terms of his contract, the Belgian, who managed Burundi from 2007 to 2012, also resigned last year in protest over his working conditions. Uganda Cranes Coach Bobby Williamson allegedly finished second in the race of 4 foreign candidates but he has since denied knowledge of the same.
CAF Instructors coming
Two CAF appointed Beach Soccer Instructors will be in Uganda to conduct a 5-day coaching and refereeing course on an invitation by FUFA. Mr Talib Hilal Al-Thanawi from Oman will be in charge of the coaching matters while Sunday Okayi from Nigeria travels to Kampala as a refereeing instructor. The course to run from March 11-15 will be held at Entebbe Institute of Fisheries.
The death of Justus Baguma, a successful entrepreneur in Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania leaves a big gap among the Ugandan community there but most importantly the sports fraternity!
JB as popularly known in Dar es Salaam owned a number of businesses in the East Africa’s biggest City which included the JB Belmont Hotel located on Benjamin Mkapa building within the City Centre.
His Hotel was a home for many Ugandans who always visited him and accorded them a comfortable reception at his hotel. On two occasions, JB hosted the Uganda Cranes team to wonderful receptions at the same premises and donated cash prizes to the players in 2010 and 2011.
JB Belmont Hotel that housed CECAFA official during most tournaments in Dar es Salaam
His hotel hosted the CECAFA officials during most of the regional football tournaments held there. CECAFA General Secretary Nicholas Mugisha said, ‘the region had lost a great man who loved football and spent towards its development’.
He never missed a single game that involved the Uganda Cranes in Dar es Salaam and sacrificed him own resources to purchase entry match tickets for fans to cheer up the team. Besides all these, JB was the chairman of the Ugandan community in Tanzania and annually organized parties for the students studying in different Universities there.
JB was a darling to many people but a great Cranes fan who will be missed forever. His body will be laid to rest at Kashari, Bushenyi district on Monday. Good bye JB!
Cranes player Hassan Wasswa celebrating with fans after captaining the team to a 13th Cecafa title in December last year.
The International Football body (FIFA) has named an American as a single judge in the Hassan Wasswa case following a resistance by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to clear him for an International Transfer Certificate (ITC).
FIFA on Tuesday February 12th wrote to FUFA indicating that all the investigations into this case had been concluded and the matter handed over to Mr. Chuck Blazer as a single judge for further consideration and final ruling.
According to the Turkish FA General Secretary Prof. Dr. Emre Alkin, Hassan Wasswa’s contract with Club Kayseri was terminated after he reportedly failed to honour several official invitations back to the club.
“Our affiliated club has terminated the contract between Hassan Wasswa and itself. For that reason, Club Kayseri Erciyesspor objected to the issuing of the ITC for player Hassan Wasswa”, reads part of the Turkish FA letter to FIFA secretariat.
FIFA, through Counsel Saskja Kuhn of the Players status committee had earlier given TFF up to February 12 to give a final response as to why they were holding onto Wasswa’s ITC. Their response came on the eve of the expiry of the ultimatum.
Wasswa’s move to KCC will therefore remain on hold until the appointed single judge gives his final verdict. FUFA however requests FIFA to speed up the process in order to give the Cranes player an opportunity to get involved in active football a head of the World Cup qualifiers matches due next month.
Hassan Wasswa captained the Cecafa team that lifted the 13th title for Uganda in December last year.
The International Football body (FIFA) has in a strongly worded communication to the Turkish Federation warned them against the continued failure to release the Uganda Cranes player, Hassan Wasswa who ceased featuring for Keyseri Erciysspor FC of their Premier League.
The letter dated February 7th and copied to the Ugandan Federation was signed by Mr. Sakja Kuhn, a FIFA Legal officer in charge of the players’ status. The Turkish Federation is given up to Tuesday February 12 to communicate to FIFA the reasons behind the unnecessary delays in providing the relevant information for Wasswa’s release.
“You are asked to provide us by no later than 12th February 2013 with valid reasons why the electronic ITC has been rejected in the TMS system…” reads part of the FIFA letter to the Turkish Federation. FIFA has further directed that the federation avails all the documents they deem useful in their defence. According to the letter, the documents must be translated into one of the official FIFA Languages of English, French, Germany or Spanish if need be.
Wasswa ceased playing for Keyseri last season and he is in Kampala trying to make his move to KCC FC but he cannot start featuring in the league matches until the ITC is issued.
Goalkeeper Abel Dhaira was a starter against Amavubi stars in Kigali on Wednesday afternoon.
Uganda National ‘A’ team, The Uganda Cranes has safely landed at Entebbe International Airport this Thursday morning on their way back from Kigali where they forced a draw against hosts Amavubi in an international friendly match, Wednesday afternoon.
The team touched Entebbe airport at 8:33am aboard Rwanda Air with all officials and players in good health. Speaking from Lapalisse Hotel earlier before setting off from Kigali, the leader of delegation Sam Lwere said the players’ performance was ‘so impressive’.
He commended the Head Coach Bobby Williamson for giving most of the travelling players a chance to test the opponents. The Scot tactician utilized 17 out of the 18 players that travelled with the team. There were six substitutes made.
The match ended 2-2 with Said Kyeyune and Dan Sserunkuuma netting for Uganda.
Gor Mahia Football club player, Dan Sserunkuuma registered his presence on the national team squad Wednesday afternoon by scoring the Crane’s second goal against Rwanda in the 66th minute during an international friendly match that finally ended 2-2.
Said Kyeyune took a lead in the 30th minute but the Cranes celebrations lasted only six minutes when Medi Kagere equalized. The first half that ended 1-1, saw Head Coach Bobby Williamson replacing Savio Kabugo with Kawooya Fahad and Tonny Odur going in for Brian Umony. The friendly match played on a FIFA international date had six substitutes as agreed upon in the pre-match meeting.
At kick off of the second half, goal keeper Hamza Muwonge took charge from Abel Dhaira, Joseph Mpande came in for Sserumaga Mike, Hamis Kiiza gave way for Feni Ali and Kavuma Willy went in for Hassan Wasswa.
Tonny Odur was instrumental in the second half with his efforts yielding results in the 82nd minute when he got fouled in the box to earn Uganda a lead through a well taken penalty by Gor Mahia striker Dan Sserunkuuma. The home boys did not however lose hope as they kept fighting until the 82nd minute when Papy Sibomana equalized to send the game into a 2-2 draw.
The match was officiated by Israel Mujuni, Hamis Changwalu and Jesse Erasmo all from Tanzania. The standby referee was Abobukar Nkejimana from Burundi. The Cranes team returns Thursday morning.
Cranes Line up: Abel Dhaira (Hamza Muwonge), Simeon Masaba, Kavuma Habib, Savio Kabugo (Kawooya Fahad), Guma Denis, Wasswa Hassan (Kavuma Willy), Sserunkuuma Dan 66’, Sserumaga Mike (Mpande Joseph), Kyeyune Said 30’, Umony Brian (Tonny Odur) and Hamis Kiiza (Feni Ali).
Rwanda: Jean Luc Ndayishimiye, Mbuyu Twite, Fabrice Twagizimana, Fredrick Ndaka, Michel Rusheshangoga [Patrick Umwungeli], Jean Baptista Mugiraneza, Haruna Niyonzima [Jessy Reinford], Jean Claude Iranzi [Papy Sibomana], Peter Kagabo [Jimmy Mbaraga], Medie Kagere and Tumaine Ntamuhanga [Aprodis Hategikimana].
Cranes striker Brian Umony in action against Senegal
The Uganda Cranes will travel to Kigali to play an international friendly match against hosts Amavubi on February 6.
FUFA is already in receipt of a confirmation letter from Kigali pertained to the same. February 6th is an official FIFA date for international friendly matches.
The match is organized to give the head coach Bobby Williamson an opportunity to try out the current status of the available players ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers engagements due in March.
Preparations are already underway to have the team start training over the weekend.
African champions Zambia suffered a third consecutive friendly defeat when they lost 2-0 to fellow qualifiers Angola last Saturday in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations warm-up. Striker Geraldo, who plays for Brazilian second-tier club Parana, opened the scoring after eight minutes at Dobsonville Stadium and defender Amaro from Primeiro Agosto added a second five minutes from time.
Zambian FA leader, Kalushya Bwalya
Zambia, who begun the defence of the title on January 21 against Ethiopia in north-eastern South African city Nelspruit, lost away to Saudi Arabia and Tanzania last month. But the losses will not unduly concern 44-year-old French coach Herve Renard as Zambia also posted poor warm-up results before winning the Cup of Nations for the first time with a penalty shootout victory over favourites Ivory Coast. Chipolopolo have three more friendlies lined up against Morocco, Norway and Namibia before facing Group C rivals Ethiopia, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
Angola, whose Group A opponents will be South Africa, Morocco and the Cape Verde Islands, are on a roll under Uruguayan coach Gustavo Ferrin as this was a third win in a row after home successes against Rwanda and Cameroon.
I welcome you all to this End of the Year Press Conference and I hope we all had a wonderful Christmas. I thank God for helping us all complete 2012 peacefully and hope the New Year 2013 will be much better.
FUFA has registered achievements and challenges in 2012 which will guide our assignment in 2013. Below are some of the achievements:
1.Statutes amendment:
Ugandan FA President: Lawrence Mulindwa
With consultation and guidance from FIFA, CAF and CECAFA, we have been able to put in place a new FUFA amended constitution which was officially endorsed by the General Assembly on August 25th, 2012 at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel. The new statutes will help address any football related challenges that affected football in the past.
2.FUFA-Govt. relationship:
We have maintained a cordial working relationship with the central government throughout the year. We are grateful to the Minister of Education and sports Hon. Jessica Alupo, the State Minister for Sports Hon. Charles Bakabulindi and the National Council of Sports (NCS) among others, who have stood by our side
(2b) Uganda Olympic Committee
Despite the challenges within the Uganda Olympic Committee, FUFA has had a good working relationship in which a course for elite coaches that was held in Makerere University was secured under the Olympic solidarity arrangement.
3.CAF President’s visit:
We invited and hosted the CAF President, Dr. Issa Hayatou from November 23 to 25. We are optimistic that his three day visit to Uganda will bear fruits starting this coming New Year. During his visit, Hayatou was able to hold talks with the FUFA Executive Committee and met H.E the Vice President of Uganda, Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi among other activities.
4.FUFA Super League:
The amendment of the statutes of the top tier league created the ‘FUFA Super League’ which is on running with 16 clubs. The participating clubs instituted an independent board to manage it and it’s already operational. Their offices are located at Green Land Towers in Kampala City Centre. The 16 FUFA Super League clubs are now individually direct FUFA members.
5.CECAFA-Tusker Cup:
We successfully hosted the 36th edition of the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup (CECAFA Tusker Cup 2012) and emerged champions after edging archrivals Kenya 2-1 in the finals. This was Uganda’s 13th CECAFA title since 1973 and the 4th win in the same competition since we assumed offices on 17th December 2005. Uganda produced the tournament’s top scorer (Robert Sentongo), best player (Brian Omony) and the best Goal Keeper (Hamza Muwonge).
6.Stand-by Generator
We conclude this year with a modern standby generator, fully installed at our headquarters in Mengo. The 70KV generator was a donation from our partners-National Insurance Corporation (NIC). We are grateful to them for this kind donation.
7.License Plus FIFA donation
FUFA has installed a fully connected automated player registration and licensing soft ware (‘License +) which will be fully operational starting the 2013/2014 season. This soft ware is the first of its kind in Africa and will simplify our operations in the players’ registration exercise. We are grateful to FIFA for facilitating this process
8.Cranes show against Zambia
Although Uganda failed to qualify for the AFCON 2013 finals due in South Africa early next year, the Cranes had a good performance against continental champions Zambia. The Cranes’ 1-0 victory in the normal time is partly the reason for our most recent 86th position in the FIFA Coca Cola rankings. Cranes is now a big brand which should be generously protected by all of us.
9.World Cup 2014 campaign
We wind up the year with 2 points from two matches so far played after forcing a crucial draw against Angola in Luanda and resisting a defeat against Senegal in Kampala. We are left with 4 matches, two of which are home engagements against Angola and Liberia. Cranes will play Liberia and Senegal away. The current table standing gives us equal opportunities to advance to the next stage.
10. CAF License ‘C’ Course:
We conducted a CAF License ‘C’ course for Super Division and a few FUFA Big League club coaches. This was a CAF requirement and out of the 39 participants, 28 obtained the required pass mark for the award of the CAF License C.
11.Youth Football:
The Hippos (U20) competitively participated in the CAF Africa U20 Championship ejecting Mozambique and losing narrowly to African Youth champions Ghana.
12.Competitions Committee
All Leagues in the country were successfully concluded within the stipulated time of 30th June. We successfully organized the Bell Uganda Cup and for the first time, we had the finals held out of Kampala in Pece Stadium, Gulu district.
The Club Licensing process was successfully undertaken and concluded putting Uganda among the few compliant member associations as per CAF requirement.
All the basic sets of rules have been formulated and approved ; namely: The Club Licensing Regulations; Rules on the Status and Transfer of Players; The FUFA Super League Rules and The FUFA Big League Rules.
13.Women football.
FUFA organized several women football activities across the country geared towards developing women football further. Liser Berg, a woman Technical Consultant from USA continues to help the federation promote football development. A course for female coaches was conducted in January with 38 participants.
Kawempe Muslim School won the girls overall football trophy at the East and Central Africa Secondary Schools Championships held in Burundi in August 2012.
14.Media Relations:
We have been able to hold our weekly press conferences throughout the year. We commend the members of the press for positive and timely reporting of FUFA/Football activities.
15.FUFA-Airtel Rising Stars
FUFA partnered with Airtel to hold the U-16 Airtel Rising stars tournament for boys and girls in all regions, with the finals taking place in Jinja.
16.Discovered new talent for national team
Several players featured for the Cranes in the WC/AFCON qualifiers, international friendlies and CECAFA and impressed our technical team. Some of the exceptional talent we discovered includes Godfrey Baba Kizito, Joseph Ochaya, Robert Sentongo, Saidi Kyeyune, Nicholas Wadada and Moses Oloya.
17. Beach Soccer:
FUFA in partnership with Uganda Beach Soccer Clubs Association successfully organized the first fully fledged beach soccer clubs League, corporate league, women tournament and the inter University competition.
18. MTN-FUFA inter region competition
With sponsorship from MTN, FUFA held a successful inter regional competition in Arua where Eastern emerged champions. FUFA appreciates the continued support from MTN and we are optimistic that this partnership will continue to tap new talents from the grassroot.
Key Challenges encountered:
Despite the enormous efforts put in to ensure qualification to Afcon 2013 finals, we narrowly failed to qualify. The limited funding of football activities was yet another leading challenge.
We commend the founders of Uganda Cranes Initiative for appreciating the challenges FUFA has been facing especially in regard to funding our national team by subsequently launching a cash drive through the UCI.
We thank UCI for all the support they extended to our victorious CECAFA team and we will continue to work hand in hand.
To all our sponsors, we are grateful for the support extended towards football activities in the country. MTN
I also wish to thank in a very special way the football fans in this country for the support showed throughout the year.
Our focus in 2013:
FUFA will be looking to consolidating our registered achievements in 2012 as we scale up new heights. The immediate targets include:
Ensuring successful 2014 World Cup qualifiers by preparing Cranes well.
Maintaining a good working relationship with FIFA, CAF, CECAFA, government and our sponsors.
Organizing international friendly matches for our national team.
Solicit sponsorship for the FUFA Super League, Big League, FUFA Regional leagues, beach soccer league, women league and other football activities.
Implement the new constitution and finalize the process of creating new statutes for regional and lower levels.
Assemble a competitive team of locally based players to participate in the CAF organized CHAN competition.
Continue working towards unity among all stake holders for purposeful intentions related to football development.
Conduct free and fair elections at all levels later in the New Year.
Organize more courses in areas of refereeing, coaching youth coaching and administration among others.
Promote and develop further women football.
Engage the underage teams into preparatory matches.
Keep up our supervisory role in all association football related matters.
Maintain the culture of holding FUFA weekly press conferences for purposes of information dissemination and accountability.
Strengthening the FUFA Secretariat by appointing Competitions Director, Commercial Director and Director Finance, among others.
Further promote beach soccer.
Conclusion:
The Year 2013 will require a continued collective effort from all stakeholders. Football must be put at the helm and we work towards its consolidation and development.
Those opposed to our leadership must start preparing for the elections due in 2013 other than wasting resources in useless court battles.
FUFA will continue to resist any selfish acts that contradict association football rules in this New Year. We will enforce the FUFA Constitution to the latter.
Uganda Cranes takes on their arch-rivals Harambee Stars of Kenya in the anticipated thrilling finals of this year’s Cecafa-Tusker Cup this evening at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
The two sides played the official opening match of the tournament on Nov ember 24 with Uganda Cranes edging the visitors 1-0. Kenya struggled into the finals after dumping Zanzibar 4-2 on spot kicks. Their normal time had ended 2-2.
Uganda Cranes goes into today’s finals with an advantage record of having conceded no goal against the eleven the team has scored in five games they have so far played.
Uganda opened up their title campaign with a 1-0 victory over Kenya, edged Ethiopia on the same margin before walloping South Sudan 4-0 in their last group stage match. In the Quarter finals, the hosts still played Ethiopia as second best losers who conceded 2 unanswered goals.
Next in their way was Tanzania who also failed to match the Cranes performance when they lost 3-0 in the semi finals. Tanzania now plays Zanzibar in their third place match to decide the winner of the USD 10.000 prize.
The Uganda-Kenya game will be played at 6:00pm. Thiery Nkurunziza (Burundi) will be the centre referee assisted by Mussie Kinde (Ethiopia) and Mohamad Idam (Sudan). The standby referee is Mohamed El Fadil from Sudan and Tariq Atta (Sudan) is the match commissioner.
The winner walks away with a cash prize of USD 30.000 with another USD 20.000 going to the losing team. The tournament is sponsored by East African Breweries limited (EABL) through Tusker, one of their favourite brands.
In 2009, Kenya lost to Uganda 1-0 in the finals of the same tournament.
Team Captain Hassan Wasswa celebrates one of the Cranes’ goals in the tournament with teammate Brian Umony. Uganda beat Ethipia 2-0 to storm the semi finals of this year’s Cecafa-Tusker Cup.
UGANDA and Kenya stormed into the semi-finals of the 2012 Cecafa Tusker Challenge Cup with entertaining football under fine conditions at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium, Namboole on Tuesday.
They now join Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland — qualifiers from Monday’s quarter-finals at Lugogo Ground — for the semi-finals at Namboole on Thursday.
Kenya edged Malawi 1-0 via a brilliantly headed goal by veteran striker Mike Baraza from a sublime long pass on the left flank by Harambee Stars full-back Abdallah Juma.
Geoffrey Kizito and Robert Ssentongo smacked the ball into the Ethiopian goal on either side of half time to give the defending champion Cranes an emphatic 2-0 over Ethiopia, the only nation in the Cecafa region who will be attending the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa next January.
The Challenge Cup semis will, therefore, be a rare all-East African affair, the original members of the competition — Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar — having a contest reminiscent of the days they battled for the then Gossage Cup.FUFA President Lawrence Mulindwa watched both semi finals.
Started in 1926 as an annual battle between Kenyan and Uganda, the Gossage Cup was forerunner to the Challenge Cup, the longest running competition in Africa.
Currently, 12 nations are members of Cecafa, an acronym for Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations.
This year’s competition was launched by Dr Issa Hayatou, the Cameroonian Africa football boss and CAF President.
Moses Oloya in action against Ethiopia. Cranes won 1-0 to book a slot into the quarter finals
Nov. 28: Somalia Vs Sudan (Free to all)
Nov. 28: Tanzania Vs Burundi (Free to all)
Nov. 29: Malawi Vs Eritrea (Free to all)
Nov. 29: Rwanda Vs Zanzibar (Free to all)
Nov. 30: Kenya Vs Ethiopia (Only free to women)
Nov. 30: South Sudan Vs Uganda (Only free to women)
Dec. 01: Sudan Vs Burundi (Free)
Dec. 01: Somalia Vs Tanzania (Free)
Dec. 01: Malawi Vs Zanzibar (Free to all)
Dec. 01: Eritrea Vs Rwanda (Free to all)
A joint announcement from FUFA, Cecafa and EABL has confirmed this Wednesday morning that fans will have a free entrance into Mandela National Stadium to watch eight of the ongoing Cecafa-Tusker Cup matches.
The resolution followed an administrative meeting attended by the FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa, EABL Managing Director Alasdair Musselwhite and Cecafa General Secretary Nicholas Musonye on Tuesday. Eng. Moses Magogo the chairman of the Local Organizing Committee and CEO Edgar Watson were among other participants.
The decision was intended to give the fans a bonus in recognition of their continued support of football in the region. It was further resolved that for the Cranes match day on Friday (Kenya Vs Ethiopia and South Sudan Vs Uganda), women will still have watch the two games free as men part with only UGX 5000 and UGX 20.000 for the open stands and the pavilion respectively.
With 18 matches remaining Uganda soccer fans have much more to look forward to hosting East Africa’s most prestigious soccer tournament-CECAFA TUSKER CUP.
Brian Umony scored the cranes’ sole goal against Ethiopia to push Uganda into the quarter finals of this year’s Cecafa-Tusker Cup.
The Uganda Cranes on Tuesday afternoon became the first team ‘A’ in the region to qualify for this year’s Cecafa-Tusker Cup quarter finals after registering a second consecutive win.
The Cranes edged Ethiopia 1-0 in their second group stage fixture to go top of the table. KCCA FC player Brian Umony netted the Cranes’ sole goal in the first half of the game. Earlier in the day, Kenya had beaten South Sudan 2-0 to create themselves chances of qualifying into the knock-out stages.
Coach Bobby Williamson hailed his boys describing their performance as having been very good despite the slim win. His counterpart confessed, he had played a brilliant side. Ethiopia is the only country in the Cecafa region that qualified to play in the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Uganda now has six points with one game at hand against South Sudan. Kenya is placed in the second position with 3 points and 2 goals ahead of Ethiopia with 3pts and one goal. South Sudan has so far lost all its first two games.
The Uganda Cranes beat bitter rivals Kenya 1-0 on Saturday in their opening game of the 2012 Cecafa-Tusker Cup going on here in Kampala.
In the earlier played game, Ethiopia edged South Sudan by the same margin at Nelson Mandela National Stadium in Namboole, Kampala.African Football Confederation [CAF] President Dr Issa Hayatou was chief guest during the Group ‘A’ encounters in which Kenya suffered a dent to their hopes of coming out of the pool as quarter finalists.
Uganda and Ethiopia, straight away became hot favourites to proceed while Kenya and debutants South Sudan threatened with early elimination.Geoffrey Kizito scored for Uganda in the 73rd minute to crown the Cranes’ clear dominance during the entire match.
Harambee Stars poorly defended a free kick taken by Dennis Iguma from outside the box on the right flank. Kizito struck from close range past a helpless Duncan Ochieng’.While Kenya ought to have equalised at the death when a long throw-in by Enoch Agwanda dropped on the goal line and was twice knocked by Kenyan legs but mysteriously did not cross, they were largely outplayed by the Cranes who were superior in ball control and movement.
Kenya had to make one forced change to the line-up announced hours to the match as striker Mike Baraza exited with sickness to be replaced by Ramadhan Salim. After a quarter of an hour, all the running was being done by the Cranes and Brian Umony, Kizito, Moses Oloya and striker Emmanuel Okwi had the Harambee Stars furiously defending.
The Kenyan attack had no natural striker deployed and the diminutive Salim was at the front of converted midfielders picked to play the role. The support of Humphrey Mieno, Clifton Miheso and Anthony “Muki” Kimani completely lacked bite.
It had been a 6pm kick-off and when teams returned to the pitch after the first half, a power black-out hit a section of the stadium and it was 10 minutes before the lights went on again.
Uganda showed no slow-down effect after the interruption but Harambee Stars almost hit them with a good counter-attack move initiated by substitute Paul Were which almost resulted into a Kenyan lead.
But in diving at the feet to cut off the final ball, Cranes ‘keeper Abbey Dhaira was badly injured. After writhing with pain on the pitch, he was replaced by Hamza Muwonge but still looked in deep distress during a doctor’s attention on the touchline and was then rushed to hospital in an ambulance.
After Uganda’s goal, Kevin Omondi split the Cranes’ defence for a ball into the box for Mieno who should have had a better effort in connecting for a decent shot at goal.
Kenyans showed some cutting edge in the final 10 minutes but a relaxed Uganda defence effectively saw off the period.TEAMS:
UGANDA – 1. Abbey Dhaira (18. Hamza Muwonge, 60’): 16. Hassan Waswa (captain), 6. Dennis Iguma, 15. Geoffrey Walusimbi, 4. Henry Kalungi, 5. Isaac Isinde, 13. Moses Oloya, 3. Geoffrey Kizito, 7. Emmanuel Okwi, 10. Brian Umony (9. Robert Sentongo, 90’), 11. Hamisi Kiiza
FUFA wishes to inform the press and the entire public that the CAF President Mr. Issa Hayatou has accepted to visit Uganda on a special invitation extended to him by the FA President Mr. Lawrence Mulindwa and CECAFA President Eng. Leodgar Tenga.
The Continental football leader is expected in the country in the evening hours of Thursday, November 22. His visit is partly in recognition of FUFA’s continued efforts that have seen Uganda’s football steadily developing to better levels. Uganda is currently ranked 86th in the World’s FIFA rankings away from the 117th position in 2005. We are 20th in the whole Africa.
Host: FUFA President Lawrence Mulindwa
Hayatou will be in company of several CAF officials who will include the General Secretary Mr. Hicham El Amrani. Other confirmed members of the delegation include Mohamed Raouraoua, Constant Omari and Ngangue Appolinaire. He will meet the FUFA Executive shortly after his arrival in Kampala.
During his stay in Uganda, the CAF President will also attend the CECAFA Congress at Serena Hotel on Friday, November 23 before presiding over the official opening of the Cecafa-Tusker Cup at Namboole stadium the following evening. He is also scheduled to hold talks with the Sports Minister Hon. Charles Bakabulindi before he travels back.
Uganda hosts neighbors Kenya in the opening match of the Cecafa-Tusker Cup at 6pm, November 24. FUFA is privileged to host such dignitaries and we are grateful to His Excellency the CAF President for accepting to visit Uganda.
The Uganda Cranes will have to shift to a new home at Rivonia suites in Mbuya during their campaign to defend this year’s Cecafa-Tusker Cup that flags off on November 24 here in Kampala.
The Cranes fans organized under the Uganda Cranes Initiatives (UCI) are the ones behind the new development. Robert Kabushenga the Chief Executive Officer of the Vision Group that publishes both the New Vision and Bukedde news papers is the acting UCI chairperson.
Addressing the press from the new premises on Wednesday morning, Kabushenga said they were looking for a total of UGX 200m to fund the team’s Cecafa budget. Rwenzori mineral water offered 250 cartons of water while Sheraton Hotel will cater for the laundry services. Life Link Medical centre pledged to meet the team’s medical costs on and off the pitch.
Bobby in the gym wing of Rivonia Hotel
The Cranes will this Saturday shift to Rivonia suites from Sky Hotel. FUFA Vice President in charge of technical matters Livingstone Kyambadde said the federation had not however completely moved away from Sky Hotel. “Rivonia has been identified by the lead fans for Cecafa but we shall still have Sky Hotel for other activities if need arises” Kyambadde remarked.
Rivonia suites has most of the facilities the players need and the head coach Bobby Williamson was impressed with the new place.
