Nsibambi: Smouha SC striker joins Uganda camp ahead of South Sudan Afcon qualifier

The forward is the first foreign-based player to arrive as he was called up after some time out of the national side

Smouha SC striker Derrick Nsibambi has joined Uganda national team ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Sudan.

Nsibambi becomes the first foreign-based Crane to join the local contingent at the Lugogo StarTimes base preparing for the November 12 encounter.

He has scored three goals for the Egyptian Premier League side and registered four assists in 17 games since he joined them one year ago.

Nsibambi and captain Denis Onyango were not part of the team that took part in a week-long training camp in Dubai during the previous Fifa break.

The local players that were called up by head coach Johnathan McKinstry have been training for days now as assistant head coach Abdalla Mubiru said they are not under any particular pressure ahead of the double-header against the Bright Stars.

“We are not a group that works under pressure,” said the tactician on Wednesday. “There is no pressure but of course, there is urgency because we want to win, therefore we shouldn’t allow complacency to creep in anyway.

“Eventually, it will go down to what we do as a team. We should be able to execute our plan very well; how we attack, how we react if we don’t have the ball and how we defend will be important for us.”

The Cranes are leading Group B with four points that came from a draw against Burkina Faso and a win against Malawi.

Should the Cecafa champions pick up six points from the Bright Stars, it would be enough for them to earn a place in the next Afcon edition to be held in Cameroon in 2021.

McKinstry would have then achieved one of the targets placed on his shoulders – to lead Uganda to a third straight continental competition. Under Sebastien Desabre, the Cranes were eliminated in Round of 16 by Senegal in the 2019 tournament.

They will host South Sudan at St Mary’s Kitende before travelling to Nairobi for the second qualifier at Nyayo Stadium on November 16.

Goalkeepers: Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns), Salim Jamal Magoola (Al Hilal Omdurman),

Defenders: Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe), Alex Kakuba (Cova de Piedade), Nicholas Wadada (Azam FC), Elvis Bwomono (Southend United), Ronald Mukiibi (Ostersunds FK), Timothy Awany (Ashdod FC),

Midfielders: Micheal Azira (Chicago Fire), Khalid Aucho (Misr Lel Makasa), Kizito Luwagga (Hapoel Kfar Saba), Farouk Miya (Konyaspor), Emmanuel Okwi (Ittihad Alexandria), Allan Kymabadde (El Gounah FC), Allan Okello (Paradou FC),

Forwards: Fahad Bayo (Ashdod FC), Edrisa Lubega (Paide Linnameeskond), Derrick Nsibambi (Smouha SC), Mubiru Uche Ikpeazu (Wycombe Wanderers), Alexis Bbakka (Umea FC)

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