Africa-Press – Uganda. Uganda is less than 60 days away from its first return to the Africa Women Cup of Nations (Awcon) since 2000. Time is clearly not on coach George Lutalo’s side as there is also a Cecafa Women Championships, meant to help prepare the side, in between starting May 22 to June 5 at Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru.
Lutalo has it all to do as his squad struggled to score goals in last year’s Cosafa Women Championships. After that, Uganda capitalized on flimsy execution from the Ethiopians to triumph 2-1 on penalties in the Awcon qualifiers after failing to protect a 2-0 first leg home win, earned at St. Mary’s Stadium Kitende, when they travelled to Addis Ababa.
Eyes on two events
The preparations will not be seamless as the local players are in the thick of the Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) that climaxes May 20 – just two days before Cecafa kicks off.
Following some of the 14 players plying their trade abroad online, it is clear that some of them are also in the business end of their seasons and might report very late to camp or just turn up in June
Lutalo might therefore end up needing the local based group more than he had imagined.
Fortunately for him, Fufa released a statement yesterday saying “the women leagues will run concurrently with the national team camp… Players will be released to go and play for their clubs and then report back to camp.”
With four match days left to end the FWSL, Lutalo will have to cater for some stops in his preparations and might have to wait until May 20 before his side can travel to Njeru.
As of yesterday morning, 21 of the 32 summoned local players were in camp at Cranes Paradise Hotel – Kisaasi and trained at Quality Primary School alongside the unattached Sandra Nabweteme plus Israel-based forward Natasha Shirazi and Canada-based Salena Allibhai.
Tough balancing act
However, She Corporate coach Hassan Isa, is at pains with the decision as his side are in the thick of the title fight with Kampala Queens and Uganda Martyrs High School (UMHS) Lubaga.
Isa has seven of his Sharks summoned to the national team while KQ and UMHS have six and three respectively.
“It is a tough situation because at this time you need to have the players so close to each other.
We are losing many crucial players and we cannot control what happens to them in the national team camp. I believe the coach needs two or three sessions to come up with a team that will play Cecafa then have a camp to prepare for the nations camp,” Isa said – although by press time yesterday, none of the She Corporate players was in the Crested Cranes camp.
Learn new things
UMHS assistant coach Freda Ayerango agrees but expects her trio to “learn new things from this opportunity that they can use in upcoming matches.” Players like Olila’s Grace Aluka, when she joins the camp, will have to travel from Kampala to Soroti at least twice on the eve of crucial ties.
Masindi trips
Lady Doves duo Riticia Nabbosa and Fazila Ikwaput also have to travel to Masindi at least twice for matches against Kampala Queens and a potential relegation decider with Rines when they join. By being in Kampala, the Tooro Queens quartet of Gloria Namakula, Jolly Kobusinge, Sumaya Komuntale and Resty Kobushobozi is half-way in its journeys to Masindi to face Lady Doves and Soroti to meet Olila but will have to travel back to Fort Portal some time to host She Corporate.
FUFA WOMEN SUPER LEAGUE
TODAY’S FIXTURES
Rines SS vs. She Maroons
Kawempe Muslim vs. UMHS
Kampala Queens vs. UCU
Lady Doves vs. Tooro Queens
She Corporate vs. Olila HS
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