INTERNATIONAL FREINDLY
Uganda Cranes to battle Kuwait in friendly match
The Uganda Cranes will face Kuwait in an international friendly match slated for January 19th, 2024 in Cairo, Egypt.
Under the watchful eyes of head coach Paul Put, the Uganda Cranes team traveled this evening on an Ethiopian Airlines flight connecting through Addis Ababa to Cairo.
Put told Cecafaonline that playing against Kuwait will be a very good test for the local based players who have been picked. ” We need to try out as many players as possible since we have several international matches this year, ” added Put.
Put who took over as Uganda Cranes coach last November explained that two players Milton Karisa and Umar Lutalo withdrew from the team because of injury.
The Uganda Cranes will use the match against Kuwait to prepare the team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers that continue in March this year and qualifiers for the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Last week two other teams from the CECAFA Zone Burundi and Djibouti were also engaged with international friendly matches. Burundi suffered a 4-0 defeat to Algeria, while Djibouti held Equatorial Guinea to a 1-1 draw.
Squad
Goalkeepers : Hannington Ssebwalunyo (Maroons FC) and Tom Ikara (Bidco FC)
Defenders : Kenneth Semakula (SC Villa), Gavin Kizito Mugweri (SC Villa), Rashid Okocha (NEC FC), Patrick Bayiga (Maroons FC), Rogers Torach (Vipers SC), Livingstone Mulondo (Vipers SC), Nicholas Mweere (Bidco FC), Hudu Mulikyi (URA FC)
Midifielders : Ronald Ssekiganda (SC Villa), Ashiraf Mugume (KCCA FC), Bright Anukani (Vipers SC), Ramz Kawooya (Express FC), Laban Tibiita (URA FC), Allan Oyirwoth (MYDA FC)
Forwards : Nelson Senkatuka (Soltilo Bright Stars FC), Alex Kitatta (Bidco FC), Denis Omedi (Kitara FC), Usama Arafat Kiza (KCCA FC), Patrick Jonah Kakande (SC Villa), Muhammad Shaban (KCCA FC)
The Uganda Cranes have defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-0 in an International friendly match played in South Africa on Friday.
Youngster James Bogere gave Uganda the lead after seven minutes at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
DR Congo who featured in the 2026 FIFA World Cup made some changes to their team that won two matches in their 2027 AFCON qualifiers last month.
The DR Congo team fielding new players Ezechiel Banzuzi (RB Leipzig, Germany), Willy Kambwala (Como, Italy), Jordy Makengo (Freiburg, Germany) and Stephy Mavididi (Watford, England) tried to fight back to find goals, but Uganda Cranes defenders stood strong.
Three minutes into the second half Kelvin Boateng increased Uganda’s lead.
The two teams will again face-off on Monday in a second friendly match in South Africa. The two teams are using the friendly matches to test players and also prepare ahead of the more AFCON 2027 qualifying matches slated for November.
DR Congo are top of Group E in the AFCON qualifiers after defeating Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe, while Uganda are also top of Group H after picking a draw away to Tunisia and stopping Libya 1-0 few days ago.
The Harambee Stars of Kenya have settled for a 1-1 draw against Lesotho in an International friendly match played on Thursday in Pretoria, South Africa.
Frank Odhiambo gave Kenya the lead after 14 minutes at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
The two teams continued to create some decent scoring opportunities, but failed to convert them.
After recess the Lesotho team re-organised themselves and leveled matters through Thabo Makhele. The match ended 1-1 and the two teams will face-off again on June 7th at the same Stadium.
Ethiopia will also be in action against Malawi on June 6th at the Addis Ababa Stadium, and the second match to be played after three days.
The other teams from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda had their scheduled matches in Morocco cancelled due to sanitary and public health considerations.
The teams are using the FIFA Window to play International friendly matches as they prepare ahead of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 qualifiers.
The national team of Kenya will play two International friendly matches against Kyrgyzstan and Palestine next month.
Under the watchful eyes of head coach Benni McCarthy, the Harambee Stars will line up against Palestine on June 3rd, and three days later face hosts Kyrgyzstan.
The two matches will be played during the June FIFA international window.
The technical bench of the team has today named the squad including five new call-ups; Deon Woodman (Wealdstone FC), Sammy Hena-Kamau (Hull City), Micah Obiero (Wealdstone FC), Sydney Agina (Stoke City) and goalkeeper Caleb Kramer (ADO Den Haag).
Although they are automatic qualifiers as co-hosts of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027, Kenya will also play in the qualifiers that kick-off in September 2026.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Byrne Omondi, Faruk Shikhalo, Caleb Kramer
Defenders: Erick Ouma, Stanley Wilson, Sylvester Owino, Frank Odhiambo, Alphonce Omija, Deon Woodman, Rooney Onyango, Sydney Agina
Midfielders: Richard Odada, Chris Erambo, Clarke Odour, Will Lenkupae, Austine Odhiambo, Zech Obiero
Attackers: Job Ochieng, Mohammed Bajaber, Ben Stanley, Sammy Hena-Kamau, Micah Obiero, Ryan Ogam, Lawrence Okoth
The Ocean Stars of Somalia have defeated hosts Bahrain 2-1 in an International friendly match played on Monday at the Bahrain National Stadium.
Issa Maris gave Bahrain the lead, but Mohamad Omar leveled matters making it 1-1 going into the break.
The home side ranked 90th as per the latest FIFA ranking piled more pressure on Somalia ranked 202nd, but failed to find the goals.
Issa Adam later scored Somalia’s winning goal to record their first win at International level since 2019.
The two teams used the International friendly match to prepare ahead of the FIFA Arab Cup qualifying matches later this month in Qatar.
Bahrain will face Djibouti, while Somalia take on Oman with the two matches slated for November 26th Sudan and South Sudan are the other teams from the CECAFA Zone that will play in the qualification round of the FIFA Arab Cup 2025.
On Saturday Tanzania lost 4-3 in a friendly match against Kuwait, while Djibouti suffered a 6-0 defeat to hosts Morocco.
Meanwhile, two teams from the CECAFA Zone will be involved in International friendly matches on Tuesday with Uganda facing hosts Morocco, Kenya taking on Senegal in a match to be played in Turkey.
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