Four foreign based players have joined the Crested Cranes in camp at Cranes Paradise hotel, Kisaasi as the senior women national football team gears up for the 2022 Women Africa Cup of Nations (AWCON).
The quartet of Tracy Jones Akiror (AFC Ann Arbor, USA), Fauzia Najjemba (BIIK Shymkent, Kazakhstan), Vanessa Edith Karungi (Boldklubben AF 1893, Denmark) and Yudaya Nakayenze (Lindey Wilson College, USA) have reported to the camp and were part of today’s training at Kampala Quality Primary School.
The Crested Cranes will take part in the Women Africa Cup of Nations tournament earmarked for next month in Morocco. Uganda and Burundi will represent the CECAFA region in the continental championship.
The AWCON tournament comes at the backdrop of Uganda’s triumph from the just concluded CECAFA Women’s tournament in Njeru.
Uganda beat Burundi 3-1 in the final of the AWCON preparatory tournament to win it’s maiden CECAFA title last Saturday.
Head coach George Lutalo said it’s now “operation AWCON” and everyone is in good shape and the spirit in camp is very high.
“AWCON is a different tournament from CECAFA but we are hopeful and banking on good preparations to deliver in Morocco,” he said.
After the Wednesday session, Lutalo dropped 6 players from the initial squad intensifying preparations for AWCON tournament.
These are Viola Namuddu (Makerere University), Harima Kanyago (Uganda Martyrs), Miriam Ibunyu (She Corporate), Naome Nagadya (She Corporate), Resty Nanziri (Kampala Queens) and Juliet Adeke (Kawempe Muslim).
According to Lutalo, they are trimming the squad to a sizeable number of cream de la cream since more players are expected to join in.
Uganda was placed in Group A alongside tournament hosts Morocco, Burkina Faso and Senegal.
