The Uganda Cranes will be participating at their sixth tournament at the Africans Nations Championship ,CHAN 2022 when the 7th edition of the bennial annual competition runs from January 13th to 4th February ,2023 in Algeria.
How they got here
The East African giants were given a bye in the first round ,in the second round they were placed against Tanzania in a two legged tie on 28th August and 3rd September respectively,with the winner on aggregate securing qualification.
Uganda won the first fixture away from home in Dar es salaam in a narrow 1-0 victory courtesy of Travis Mutyaba late goal ,in the second leg the Cranes won 3-0 in a convincing way at St.Marys Stadium in Kitende . Moses Waiswa ,Rogers Mato and substitute Richard Basangwa were the goal scorers as the nation secured their historical sixth consecutive CHAN Finals appearance.
Uganda have managed to qualify at every tournament of the CHAN championship ,apart from the inaugural edition in 2009.
Nickname
The Uganda National team have for a long time been called the Cranes normally for the senior national side.They walk under the theme Pride and Patriotism.
The Coach
Milutin Sredojevic commonly known as Micho is set to lead Uganda at his third CHAN tournament as the national Head Coach.The Serbian during his first spell in Uganda between 2013-2017 ,led the nation to straight CHAN Finals ,2014 in South Africa and 2016 in Rwanda.
Micho who is on a second spell after appointment on 27th July ,2021 on a 3year deal is expected to use his vast experience in African football to ensure that Uganda this time go through past group stages ,after poor results in the 5 past tournaments with the nation failing to break the dreadlock. Adored for his history to pull upsets ,the gaffer has managed Orlando Pirates in South Africa, Zamalek in Egypt ,Zambia national team ,has been in Rwanda , Tanzania and Ethiopia.
Number of appearances and Results
The Uganda Cranes have participated at every edition of the CHAN tournament apart from the inaugural championship in 2009. The 2022 appearance at the finals is their sixth appearance after making their debut in 2011.
In the past 5 editions( 2011 ,2014 ,2016 ,2018, 2020 ) they have managed to score 11 goals and conceded 23.
CHAN 2011 – Sudan
Uganda 0-2 Algeria
Sudan 1-0 Uganda
Gabon 2-1 Uganda ( lSaddam Juma )
CHAN 2014 – South Africa
Uganda 2-1 Burkina Faso (Yunus Sentamu brace)
Zimbabwe 0-0 Uganda
Morocco 3-1 Uganda (Yunus Sentamu )
CHAN 2016 – Rwanda
Mali 2-2 Uganda ( Miya Farouk ,Joseph Ochaya )
Uganda 0-1 Zambia
Uganda 1-1 Zimbabwe (Geoffrey Sserunkuma )
CHAN 2018 -Morocco
Uganda 1-3 Zambia ( Derrick Nsibambi )
Namibia 1-0 Uganda
Uganda 0-0 Ivory Coast
CHAN 2020 – Cameroon
Rwanda 0-0 Uganda
Uganda 1-2 Togo ( S.kyeyune )
Uganda 2-5 Morocco ( Orit Ibrahim ,S.Kyeyune )
Group Fixtures
Uganda are in group B alongside two time winners Democratic Republic of Congo ,Ivory Coast and Senegal.
January 14th 2023
DRC vs Uganda
January 18th 2023
Senegal vs Uganda
January 22nd 2023
Uganda vs Ivory Coast
Best performance
Despite never making it the knock out stage ,Uganda’s best performance could have come at the 2014 championship in South Africa.
Registered their first win at CHAN Finals with a 2-1 victory against Burkina courtesy of Sentamu brace ,made a goalless draw with Zimbabwe and they fell to defeat in their last group match to Morocco in a 3-1 scoreline .In the 2014 ,Uganda recorded their highest tally of points (4 ) and the performance was an improved one.
Best Scorer
Uganda’s all time top scorer at the CHAN Finals is Yunus Ssentamu with 3 goals .The Vipers forward once again didn’t make the final squad to CHAN after the Head Coach came out to explain his inclusion.
Said Kyeyune also leads with two goals that came in the last edition ,scoring one of the most beautiful goal
at the championship in a 2-1 defeat to Togo.
Potential Stars
Milton Karisa
The vipers captain and winger Karisa is expected to up lift the team ,after the country’s poor run at CHAN.
The forward has been in form at his domestic club ,winning 3 MOTM awards ,goals coming in and never taken shy of his creative skills.A true prospect of a leader in the team ,was the captain as Uganda secured qualification in September last year.
Moses Waiswa
The attacking returned after back home after his time in South Africa with Super Sport United. The versatile midfielder signed with KCCA FC and has been a spark in the middle of the park this season where he has managed to help KCCA finish top of the log after the first round in the Startimes UPL.
Waiswa was on scoresheet in the game that sent Uganda to CHAN in Algeria after converting a penalty against Tanzania.
Unsung Hero.
Rarely a person of such position to be at centre of attention ,but the revolution of central defender Hillary Mukundane has been a description of never giving up , played 5 solid seasons in the western part of the country at Mbarara city where he captained for 2 and half years. A lion on pitch because of his defending abilities , signed last year by Vipers SC and was part of the team that won the UPL championship.This season he has been top notch for the venoms ,after putting a string of constant performances in his position ,and has on several occasions been named Man of the Match on games in the domestic league and not surprise that he is on the CHAN team.
Most Successful club (s)
The domestic league that boosts the home talents has been a top notch with competition gaining peak in the country. The most successful club has been SC Villa who have a record number of 16 titles though their form in recent years has dripped.
KCCA FC arguably the second successful team in 256, has won the league title 13 times and 10 Uganda cups.KCCA is the only Ugandan Club to play at the group stages of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup reinstating their status at continental football in Africa.
Recently Vipers have taken the competition high ,boosting of 5 Uganda Championships and last year the venoms managed to storm the group stages of the CAF Champions League for the first time in History after eliminating Congo Giants TP Mazembe and currently have 11 players on the national team in CHAN.
The Squad
Goalkeepers
Nafian Alionzi (URA FC), Joel Mutakubwa (Gaddafi FC), Jack Komakech (Vipers SC)
Defenders
Ashiraf Mandela (Vipers SC), James Begisa (URA FC), Derrick Ndahiro (URA FC), Isa Mubiru (Vipers SC), Hillary Mukundane (Vipers SC), Kenneth Ssemakula(SC Villa), Geoffrey Wasswa (KCCA FC), Gift Fred (SC Villa)
Midfielders
Siraje Ssentamu (Vipers SC), Marvin Joseph Youngman (Vipers SC), Abdu Karim Watambala(Vipers SC), Moses Waiswa (KCCA FC)
Forwards
Milton Karisa (Vipers SC), Ibrahim Orit (Vipers SC), Travis Mutyaba (SC Villa), Moses Aliro (Wakiso Giants FC), Rogers Kassim Mato (KCCA FC), Bright Anukani (Vipers SC), Titus Ssematimba (Wakiso Giants), Frank Ssebufu (Wakiso Giants FC), Najib Yiga (Vipers SC), Nelson Ssenkatuka (Soltilo Bright Stars FC)
Clubs player Distribution
Vipers SC – 11
Wakiso giants -3
KCCA FC – 3
URA -3
Gaddafi -1
SC Villa -3
Bright Stars -1
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