Africa-Press – Nigeria. Central defensive options: Yudaya Nakayenze, Aisha Nantongo, Margaret Namirimu, Bira Nadunga
Striking options: Sandra Nabweteme, Fazila Ikwaput, Fauzia Najjemba, Viola Nambi, Rita Kivumbi, Margaret Kunihira, Lillian Mutuuzo, Zainah Nandede, Joanita Ainembabazi
Uganda played Zambia last night in what should have been the last friendly before the Women Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Saturday in Morocco.
It must also have been a chance for coach George Lutalo to nail down his starting team.It is easy to think he should have had one by now by the players are relentlessly throwing whatever they have got at him to force decisions.
Ahead of the Cecafa Women Championship at the start of the month, Lutalo seemed to zero down on Natasha Shirazi and Margaret Kunihira playing either side of Fazila Ikwaput.
Dropped already
In training, Shirazi had an appreciation of space that would give another dimension to the team but lasted 45 minutes of competitive football and has since been dropped. Ikwaput loves to come from wide so she forced the issue and created a central berth that was equally shared by Juliet Nalukenge and Sandra Nabweteme in four games. Nalukenge has since been dropped.
The coming of Kazakhstan-based Fauzia Najjemba also meant Kunihira would settle for the cameo roles that she had relegated Lillian Mutuuzo and Zainah Nandede to.
Beyond tourists
But our sources in the acclimatization camp in Marrakech say Austria-based Viola Nambi and Sweden-based Rita Kivumbi, who joined the team after it had moved to Morocco, “are doing so well and are likely to force themselves into the starting 11.”
It is not only in striking that Lutalo has a selection dilemma as central defence is also still an issue.
Aisha Nantongo’s power and Margaret Namirimu’s positional discipline seemed to work the trick during Cecafa.
But US-based Yudaya Nakayenze – who has also hardly had a competitive build-up game – has all that, experience and some more. She is a shoo-in to marshall the defence but who partners her?
Does Lutalo go for Nakayenze and Nantongo’s ability to put her body on the line or does Namirimu, who hardly misplaces a pass and is almost always in the right place at the right time get the nod?
Good bench key
Fortunately, Lutalo might also not need to over think his team.
Our sources also reveal that the Crested Cranes fitness team believes that female players are mostly able to give their all in the first 70 minutes of the match.
They are also convinced that Wafcon will serve a number of evenly poised games and they are telling Lutalo to think of ways that he can settle matches with impactful changes.
If the Crested Cranes squad stays as competitive in the tournament as it has been during the camping period, then Lutalo will be happy to have a bench he can rely on.
For More News And Analysis About Nigeria Follow Africa-Press
