Midfielders Nicholas Kasozi and Gift Ali have been included in the Uganda Cranes team that will start preparations for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Kasozi who made a handful of appearances for Kyetume FC in the Uganda Premier League is one of several surprises that have been included in the team.
For Ali, he was hampered by injuries for majority of last season as his KCCA FC side eventually finished 4th.
In total, Cranes head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has summoned a preliminary squad of 30 players.
The squad named comprises of locally based players and the foreign based players that are currently in Uganda.
The remaining foreign based legion will be named at a later date.
The players will first undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test before entering residential camp at Cranes Paradise Hotel on Saturday.
Training will commence on Monday, 16th August at a venue that will be communicated later. This will go on up to Saturday before the team departs for the foreign camp in Jordan.
In Jordan, Uganda Cranes will have two friendly games against the Syria National Team coming on 23rd and 26th August.
The team will then depart for Ethiopia on 27th August for another friendly game two days later. The remaining foreign based players will join the team here.
After the friendly game against Ethiopia, Uganda Cranes contingent will then move to Nairobi, Kenya on 31st August ahead of the first 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier game against the Harambee Stars.
Uganda is in Group E of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers alongside Kenya, Rwanda and Mali.
Preliminary Squad
Goalkeepers
Joel Mutakubwa (Express FC), Charles Lukwago (KCCA FC), Simon Tamale (Soltilo Bright Stars FC), Nafian Alionzi (URA FC)
Defenders
Enock Walusimbi (Express FC), Innocent Wafula (Mbarara City FC), Paul Willa (Vipers SC), Eric Ssenjobe (Police FC), Aziizi Kayondo (Vipers SC), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers SC), Murushid Juuko (Express FC) Garvin Kizito Mugweri (SC Villa), Kenneth Ssemakula (SC Villa), Hassan Muhamood (Police FC), Denis Iguma (KCCA FC)
Midfielders
Nicholas Kasozi (Kyetume FC), Bobosi Byaruhanga (Vipers SC), Muzamiru Mutyaba (Express FC), Shafik Kuchi Kagimu (URA FC), Ali Abubaker Gift (KCCA FC), Ibrahim Orit (Vipers SC), Milton Karisa (Vipers SC), Abdu Lumala (Pyramids FC)
Forwards
Richard Basangwa (Vipers SC), Steven Dese Mukwala (URA FC), Patrick Henry Kaddu (RS Berkene), Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Unattached), Yunus Ssentamu (Vipers SC), Jude Ssemugabi (Mbarara City FC), Martin Kizza (Express FC)
