Uganda are winless in their two opening Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Cranes are in Group F alongside Algeria, Niger, and Tanzania.
A 2-0 defeat to Algeria was followed by a 1-1 draw versus Niger in the opening matches of the group stage. Now, Uganda are preparing for matchday No 3 of the AFCON qualifiers against Tanzania.
A win on matchday No 3 could send Uganda into second place in Group F. The top two places in Group F qualify for the next phase of the tournament.
Manager Milutin Sredojevic will bring in some new players for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers. On March 24, Uganda will face Tanzania and follow it up with the return match away in Dar es Salaam.
The first of the two fixtures will be played in the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia, Egypt.
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Sredojevic has named a provisional 30-man squad for the games. One of the players called into the provisional squad is goalkeeper Salim Jalam Magoola. The shot-stopper plays his club football in South Africa for Richards Bay, which he joined in 2022.
Magoola has spent the last two years away from the national team. The goalkeeper’s last match for Uganda was in March 2021. He was on the substitutes bench for the Cranes’ match versus Malawi.
Magoola will have the chance to make an appearance for Uganda in the AFCON qualifiers. Goalkeeper Nafian Alionzi played between the post during Uganda’s January African Nations Championship match against Ivory Coast. The Cranes lost the ANC match 3-1.
Uganda saw several key players retire at the end of the last AFCON qualification cycle. Team captain Denis Onyango, Hassan Wasswa, Mike Azira, and Hassan Wasswa all called time on their international careers. Onyango’s retirement was seen as the catalyst to Magoola becoming Uganda’s No 1. However, Uganda’s coaching staff has chosen the duo of Ismail Watenga and Charles Lukwago in goal.
Magoola has been excellent for Richards Bay in the African Premier League. He kept 11 clean sheets in 22 matches, helping Richards Bay into the league’s top six.
Uganda have an assortment of strong goalkeepers in the provisional squad. Goalkeeper is arguably Uganda’s strongest position now.
Joining Magoola is the return of full-back Joseph Ochaya. He appeared in Uganda’s World Cup qualifiers in September 2021
Besides Magoola, left-back Joseph Ochaya, who last played for Uganda Cranes in the World Cup qualifiers against Mali in September 2021.
Ochaya will battle for the left-back position with Derrick Ndahiro and Azizi Kayondo. Domestic players will join the Uganda residential training camp on March 15th to prepare for the AFCON qualifiers. The team will play a friendly against Kitara on March 17th. The domestic players to make the squad will then travel to Ismailia to join up with the foreign-based squad members.
Uganda’s match against Tanzania will be played in Egypt due to the Crane’s home ground, St Mary’s Stadium, failing CAF requirements. The national team will lack its usual home support for the “home” tie.
