Uganda Airlines flies the Cranes to Burkina Faso for Wednesday’s AFCON qualifier

A group of 16 Uganda Cranes players have flown to Ouagadougou ahead of the team’s group B game with Burkina Faso in the 2021 African Nations Cup qualifiers.

The national team on Tuesday morning flew to Burkina Faso aboard a chartered Uganda Airlines flight that will also return them ahead of their game with Malawi on Sunday at Namboole.

The Cranes players who flew with the national carrier to Burkina Faso are Denis Onyango, Robert Ondogkara, Charles Lukwago, Isaac Muleme, Joseph Ochaya, Murushid Jjuuko and Hassan Wasswa.

Others are Halid Lwaliwa, Khalid Aucho, Tadeo Lwanga, Nicholas Kasozi, Allan Okello,Allan Kyambadde, Farouk Miya, Emmanuel Okwi and Fahad Bayo.

These will join a team of other players who flew directly to Burkina Faso from their respective clubs including Nicholas Wadada, Timothy Awany, Bevis Mugabi, Mike Azira, Kizito Luwagga, Patrick Kaddu and Alexis Bakka.

The team will tomorrow Wednesday play against Burkina Faso in their opening qualifying game and the national carrier will fly them back on Thursday to prepare ahead of the game on Sunday in Kampala.

Uganda was pitted against Burkina Faso, Malawi and South Sudan in group B and will play their first home qualifier against Malawi on Sunday, exactly 366 days after the game at Namboole in which a Patrick Kaddu goal sent Uganda to the 2019 AFCON finals in Egypt.

New Uganda Cranes coach Johnny McKinstry two weeks ago named a 25 man squad that will play the African Nations Cup Qualifiers.

 Goalkeepers:

Dennis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns,South Africa), Robert Odongkara (Horoya AC, Guinea), Charles Lukwago (KCCA, Uganda).

Defenders:

Ronald Mukiibi (Ostersunds FK, Sweden), Nico Wakiro Wadada (Azam, Tanzania), Bevis Mugabi (Motherwell, Scotland), Murushid Jjuuko (Wydad Casablanca, Morocco), Timothy Denis Awany (Sport Club Ironi Ashdod, Israel), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers, Uganda), Isaac Muleme (Viktoria Zizkov, Czech Republic), Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe, Democratic Republic of Congo).

Midfielders:

Michael Azira (Chicago Fire, USA), Khalid Aucho (Misr Lel Makasa, Egypt), Tadeo Lwanga (Tanta, Egypt), Nicholas Kasozi (KCCA, Uganda), Allan Okello (KCCA, Uganda), Allan Kyambadde (El Gouna, Egypt).

Forwards:

Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Ittihad Alexandria, Egypt), Patrick Henry Kaddu (RS Berkane, Morocco), Alexis Bbakka (Carlstad United BK, Sweden), Fahad Bayo (Vipers, Uganda), Farouk Miya (Konyaspor, Turkey), Abdu Lumala (Pyramids, Egypt), William Kizito Luwagga (Shakhter Karaganda, Kazahstan)

Technical team:

Head Coach: Jonathan McKinstry

1st Assistant Coach: Abdallah Mubiru

2nd Assistant Coach: Livingstone Mbabazi

Fitness Coach: Alexander McCarthy

Goalkeeping Coach: Fred Kajoba

Equipment Manager: Ayub Balyejusa

Team Coordinator: Geoffrey Massa