East Africa representatives Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi have announced their final squads for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
The tournament will be held from June 21 to July 19 and for the first time since the tournament’s inception 62 years ago, four teams from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (Cecafa) region, considered Africa’s weakest footballing region in terms of standards of the game, will play at the biennial championship at the same time.
Kenya:
Kenya will be making a sixth appearance in the competition, the last one being in Tunisia in 2004 where they won their first ever game, beating Burkina Faso 3-0 in the final group match that had no bearing on who proceeded to the quarter finals.
Head Coach Sebastian Migne announced the roaster on Tuesday 11th June where he axed four players from the initial 27-man provisional list.
Christopher Mbamba and Brian Mandela were dropped due to injuries while Anthony ‘Teddy’ Akumu and Cliffton Miheso also failed to impress the gaffer during the ongoing training camp in France.
Stars will then jet into Egypt on June 19, 2019, five days before their Group C opening match of the tournament against Algeria.
They will tackle their neighbours Tanzania four days later before winding up their group phase assignments against pre-tournament favourites Senegal on July 1.
Kenya Squad list is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Patrick Matasi, John Oyemba, Faruk Shikalo
Defenders: Philemon Otieno, Abud Omar, Bernard Ochieng, Musa Mohammed, Joash Onyango, Joseph Okumu, David Owino, Eric Ouma
Midfielders: Victor Wanyama, Dennis Odhiambo, Erick Johanna, Ayub Timbe, Francis Kahata, Ismael Gonzalez, Ovella Ochieng, Paul Were, Johanna Omollo
Forwards: Masud Juma, Michael Olunga, John Avire
Uganda:
Uganda Cranes, the most successful East African national football team as far as the Africa Cup of Nations is concerned, finished fourth in 1962 and qualified for the finals of the tournament in 1978 where they lost to Ghana in the semi-final.
The 2019 edition will be the successive second appearance for Cranes who played in the finals of 1968, 1974, 1976 and most recently in 2017, bowing out in the group stage of the competition.
Cranes are under Frenchman Sebastien Desabre and are currently camping in Dubai as part of the preparation for the tournament.
Alexis Bakka (Carlstad United- Sweden), Kirizestom Ntambi- Coffee FC –Ethiopia) and Sadam Juma (KCCA) were dropped from the initial list where they joined Moses Waiswa who was released last week after picking up an injury.
In the run-up to the 2019 finals, the Cranes topped their group that has Cape Verde, Lesotho and fellow East Africans, Tanzania, who finished top of the group.
Cranes are currently ranked 96 in Africa and are placed in Group A alongside hosts Egypt, Zimbabwe, and DRC. They will face DRC on June 22 in their opening game.
Uganda 23-man list is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Jamal Salim (Al Hilal-Sudan), Robert Odongkara (Adama City, Ethiopia)
Defenders: Nico Wakiro Wadada (Azam, Tanzania), Brian Ronald Ddungu Mukiibi (Ostersunds, Sweden), Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania), Bevis Mugabi (Yeovil Town, England), Isaac Muleme (FK Viktoria Zizkov, Czech Republic), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Unattached), Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Timothy Denis Awanyi (KCCA FC, Uganda), Godfrey Walusimbi (Un-attached)
Midfielders: Mike Azira (Montreal Impact, Canada), Allan Kateregga (Maritzburg, South Africa), William Kizito Luwagga (Shakhter Karagandy, Kazakhstan), Khalid Aucho (Church Hill Brothers, India), Faruku Miya (HNK Gorica, Croatia), Abdul Lumala (Syrianska, Sweden), Tadeo Lwanga (Vipers SC-Uganda)
Strikers: Patrick Henry Kaddu (KCCA FC, Uganda), Derrick Nsibambi (Smouha, Egypt), Allan Kyambadde (KCCA FC Uganda), Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Simba, Tanzania)
Tanzania
Tanzania will be making their second appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations after their 1980 qualification where they only managed the group stage.
To make it to Egypt, the Taifa Stars beat Uganda 3-0 after Lesotho drew 0-0 in Cape Verde, which confirmed their qualification as runners-up to Uganda in the group.
Coached by former Nigeria winger Emmanuel Amunike, Tanzania have been training in Dar es Salaam and only moved out three days ago to Cairo, where they were the first of the 24-participants to arrive.
Top talents in the squad include Simba FC’s John Bocco and Thomas Ulimwengu, who plays at Sudanese club Al Hilal.
Other notable inclusions are Simba Sporting Club keeper Aishi Manula, Simon Msuva of Difaä El Jadid, Morocco and Bwana Samatta of Racing Genk
Tanzania are drawn in Group C alongside Kenya, Algeria and Senegal. Emmanuel Amunike’s charges open their AFCON campaign against Senegal on Sunday 23 June 2019.
Tanzania squad:
Goalkeepers; Aishi Manula (Simba SC), Metacha Mhata (Mbao FC), Aron Kalambo (TZ Prisons),
Defenders: Hassan Ramadan (Nkana FC), Gadiel Michael (Young Africans), Mohammed Hussein (Simba SC), Himid Mao (Petrojet FC), Feisal Salum (Young Africans), Frank Domayo (Azam FC), Kelvin Yondani (Young Africans),
Midfielders: Mudathir Yahya (Azam FC), Ally Mtoni (Lipuli FC), John Bocco (Simba SC), Thomas Ulimwengu (JS Saoura), Farid Mussa (Tenerife), Simon Msuva (Difaä El Jadid),
Forwards: Mbwana Samatta (Genk), Rashid Mandawa (BDF), Abdillanie Mussa (Blackpool), Vincent Phillipo (Mbao FC), Erasto Nyoni (Simba SC)
Burundi
Burundi’s national team, Intamba mu rugamba (the swallows) will be making their first appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations.
They are, however, not to be underrated as they beat Gabon to qualify for this year’s tournament. Top players include former Stoke City forward Saido Berahino and Fiston Abdul Razak, who plays for Algeria’s JS Kabylie.
In their first build-up match to the tournament, they held Algeria 1-1 in a match that was played on Tuesday 11th July in Doha, Qatar where they have set their training camp.
Burundi were drawn in Group B and will compete against Nigeria in their primary fixture on June 22, before taking on Madagascar and Guinea on June 27 and June 30, respectively.
Burundi full squad:
Goalkeepers: Jonathan Nahimana, Justin Ndikumana, Arthyr Mac Arakaza
Defenders: Frederic Nsabiyumva, Moussa Omar, David Nshimirimana, Ngando Omar, Christophe Nduwarugira, Karim Nizigiyimana
Midfielders: Pierrot Kwizera, Gael Bigirimana, Gael Duhayindavyi, Moustapha Francis, Enock Nsabumukama, Shassir Nahimana
Strikers: Fiston Abdoul-Razak, Saido Berahino, Mohamed Amissi, Cedric Amisi, Shabani Hussein, Elvis Kamsoba, Laudit Mavugo, Selemani Ndikumana.
