The Uganda U17 national team kick off their preparations for the forthcoming U17 AFCON regional qualifiers on Monday evening.
The team entered residential camp on Monday at Njeru Technical Centre where they will go through several training sessions before heading to Tanzania for the qualifiers.
23 players took part in the first session conducted by team head coach Peter Onen with the support of his backroom staff.
Onduparaka’s trio of Iddi Abduwalid, Tonny Kenty and John Rogers plus Jimmy Mubber from St. Peter’s Junior School were the only ones absent but are expected to join up with the others Tuesday.
A fortnight ago, a squad of 31 was summoned but had to first go through a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan to ascertain their age.
Some players failed the test with KCCA FC’s Steven Sserwadda one of the major omissions.
Uganda is in group B alongside Djibouti, Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia
The tournament is expected to kick off on 11th to 26th August in Tanzania and Uganda will start its campaign on 12th August against Ethiopia.
The champion from the regional tournament will qualify for the U17 Africa Cup of Nations that will be played later this year in Tanzania.
From the U17 AFCON Championship, the top four teams will represent Africa at the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup in Peru.
The squad that was summoned:
Goalkeepers:
George William Oluka(Buddo SS), Daniel Ssemwogerere(UPDF FC Junior team), Tonny Atugonza(Buddo SS), Delton Oyo(Kirinya Jinja SS JT)
Defenders:
John Rogers(Onduparaka JT), Gavin Kizito(SC Villa JT), Samson Kasozi(Bright Stars JT), Ibrahim Ekallot(Bright Stars JT), Kevin Ssekimbega(Buddo SS), Geoffrey Matovu(Bright Stars), Joseph Kafumbe(Buddo SS), Ibrahim Juma (KCCA SA)
Midfielders:
Davis Sekajja(Bright Stars JT), Gerald Kirya(Vipers JT), Elvis Ngonde(Jinja SS), John Kokas Alowo(URA JT), Thomas Kakaire(Vipers JT), Edrine Mukisa Opaala(Jinja SS), Owen Mukisa(BUL JT), Galdin Okumu(Jabulani Isoke Memorial College),Ivan Asaba(Vipers JT), Yasin Abdul Owinyi(Rock High School), Polycap Mwaaka(Obya Highland Primary School)
Strikers:
Jimmy Muber (St. Peter’s Junior Primary School), Najib Yiga(Kasozi Seed High School), AbduWalid Idd(Onduparaka JT), Anthony Kenty (Onduparaka JT)
