Why Three Uganda Cranes Regulars Will Miss Friendlies Against Tanzania and Madagascar
By Peterson Delacream.
Uganda Cranes will be without several key players when they take on Tanzania and Madagascar in international friendly matches scheduled for this month in Morocco.
The national team departed for Morocco on Monday morning, with head coach Paul Put naming a squad largely composed of locally based players alongside a number of foreign-based professionals.
Uganda will face Tanzania on June 5 before taking on Madagascar on June 8 as part of preparations for upcoming international assignments.
However, three regular members of the national team setup—Toby Sibbick, Nafian Alionzi, and Jude Ssemugabi—have all been ruled out, while defender Elio Capradossi is also unavailable for selection.
According to team officials, Sibbick was omitted after failing to fully recover from a fitness issue and is not yet considered match-ready. The defender has been a consistent figure in the Cranes squad but will not be risked for the two friendly matches.
Goalkeeper Nafian Alionzi also misses out, although no detailed explanation has been provided regarding his absence from the travelling squad.
Forward Jude Ssemugabi, meanwhile, has been sidelined by injury, denying the Cranes one of their emerging attacking options. The talented attacker has impressed at both club and international level in recent seasons and was expected to feature prominently in the friendlies.
Italian-born defender Elio Capradossi is the other notable absentee from the squad, with the defender unavailable for selection for the Morocco camp.
The squad that travelled includes a strong contingent of Uganda Premier League players. Vipers SC midfielders Usama Arafat Kiza and Abdul Karim Watambala are among the locally based players selected, alongside SC Villa’s Geoffrey Lubangakene and Raymond Barasa Mangoli.
NEC FC goalkeeper Hannington Ssebwalunyo also earned a place in the squad after impressive performances at club level.
The friendlies are expected to provide an opportunity for the technical team to assess player combinations and evaluate emerging talent ahead of future competitive fixtures.
Experienced players such as Allan Okello, Steven Mukwala, Travis Mutyaba, Jordan Obita, Aziz Kayondo, and Rogers Mato are expected to play key roles during the two matches.
Uganda Cranes Squad for Morocco Friendlies
Goalkeepers
- Hannington Ssebwalunyo (NEC FC)
- David Lukwago (SC Villa)
- Joel Mutakubwa (Adigrat University FC)
Defenders
- Herbert Bockhorn (FC Magdeburg)
- Nathan Asiimwe (Charlton Athletic)
- Raymond Barasa Mangoli (SC Villa)
- Jordan Obita (Hibernian FC)
- Geoffrey Lubangakene (SC Villa)
- Hilary Mukundane (Vipers SC)
- Aziz Kayondo (Slovan Liberec)
- Herbert Achayi (KCCA FC)
- Joseph Seremba (NEC FC)
Midfielders
- Bobosi Byaruhanga (Oakland Roots SC)
- Alhassan Baba (FCSB)
- Travis Mutyaba (CS Sfaxien)
- Abdul Karim Watambala (Vipers SC)
- Allan Okello (Young Africans SC)
- James Bogere (AGF Aarhus)
- Rogers Mato (Hearts FC)
- Sammy Ssebadduka (KCCA FC)
Forwards
- Hassan Mubiru (SC Villa)
- Steven Mukwala (Al-Nasr SC)
- Frank Ssebufu (SC Villa)
- Allan Oyirwoth (New England Revolution)
- Richard Basangwa (NEC FC)
- Noble Okello (Indy Eleven)
- Usama Arafat Kiza (Vipers SC)
- Ivan Ahimbisibwe (KCCA FC)
The Tanzania and Madagascar matches are expected to offer valuable preparation as Uganda continues building a competitive squad ahead of future continental and international competitions.
