East Africa converges in Tanzania for the next two weeks to help the hosts prepare for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) due next month in Morocco.
Tanzania, the only East African nation to make the cut for this postponed edition, are drawn in a tough Group C with South Africa, Ghana, and Mali. But just like Uganda and Burundi in 2022, Cecafa is holding a preparatory tournament for them.
Uganda won the last Cecafa Women Championship edition held at Fufa Technical Centre Njeru in 2022 ahead of an abysmal Wafcon campaign.
Coach Sheryl Botes is now tasked with defending that title but it will not come easy as she has barely had time to prepare and will not have at least two players she was counting on.
“We have hardly had any training but there is no one to blame for that because the invitation came late,” Botes said before the team she summoned to enter camp last Sunday set out to Tanzania on Tuesday evening.
The Crested Cranes only trained at MTN Omondi Stadium on Monday and at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole on Tuesday morning before heading out for the round-robin competition.
Botes also said she summoned the team with an eye on the Queen Cranes, who start their Fifa U-20 World Cup Qualification campaign in the second round against Namibia in September – after earning a first round bye.
Unfortunately Goldstar Ladies’ goalkeeper Nulu Nakyaze Babirye pulled out thereby granting a slot for former Crested Cranes captain Ruth Aturo to be summoned. Aturo will compete with Daisy Nakaziro and Queen Crane Lillian Nakirya for a starting berth.
Asubo defender Desire Katisi Natooro and St. Noa Girls striker Sylivia Kabene are some of the players Botes expects to be central to her U-20 plans.
New options
Botes was also in awe of Kawempe Muslim striker Jovia Nakagolo among those she will hand national team debuts to. Nakagolo’s teammate Sumaya Nabuto and Kampala Queens defender Jamilah Nabulime are also due to be handed national team debuts.
Botes will also to work with some of the players she has had in previous camps like Latifah Nakasi, Margaret Kunihira, Shamirah Nalugya, and Docus Lwalisa with whom she won bronze with the U-20s at the African Games plus defenders Esther Namusoke of Kampala Queens (KQ) and Patricia Hasifa Namboozo of Makerere University.
Shakirah Nankwaga is a highly rated defender by women’s football enthusiasts but has been in and out of Botes’ plans. She was reportedly summoned as a midfielder late after Agnes Nabukenya was deemed unavailable due to school commitments while Fufa Women Super League top scorer Resty Kobusobozi will apparently start exams on June 14 and was replaced by Asiimwe Zida.
The team, which starts the competition Thursday against Burundi, will be built around trusted troops like Jolly Kobusinge, Zainah Nandede, Zaina Namuleme, and Brenda Munyana.
Cecafa Women’s Championship
Uganda’s fixtures
Today: Uganda vs. Burundi, 4pm
Saturday: South Sudan vs. Uganda, 7pm
June 17: Kenya vs. Uganda
June 19: Uganda vs. Tanzania