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According to the weather forecasting website weather.com, the temperatures in Ismailia, Hippos base, could fall to as low as 6 ° Celsius during the nights and rise to only 17. Kampala’s lowest during this period is 21 ° C.
Uganda Hippos have not found life comfortable since arriving in Egypt on Sunday. The team found very harsh weather conditions in Egypt, which the head coach Jackson Mayanja hopes they will acclimatise in time.
According to the weather forecasting website weather.com, the temperatures in Ismailia, Hippos base, could fall to as low as 6 ° Celsius during the nights and rise to only 17. Kampala’s lowest during this period is 21 ° C.
Apart from Uganda’s opener against the Central African Republic, the remaining games will be played at 7 pm.
“The weather conditions are a bit tough,” Mayanja bemoaned. “It is freezing, and you can feel it even when putting on shoes. We could’ve come earlier to acclimatise if we knew, but we [now] want to observe how the boys will cope.
The team played hosts Egypt on Monday in one of the build-up matches scheduled and is set to play Zambia in Ismailia on Wednesday. Mayanja hopes the matches will strengthen his team and condition their bodies to adapt to the weather.
“It is good we have time to adjust ahead of the tournament. We pray that they don’t get affected. We are playing the friendly matches at the exact time we’ll be playing our [official] fixtures so that we can acclimatise,” he added.
Hippos squad
Goalkeepers - Abdu Magada (Gaddafi FC), Kamya Shamulan, (Soltilo Bright Stars FC), Oyo Delton (SC Villa)
Defenders - Lukwago Haruna (KCCA FC), Opiru Justine (URA FC), Samson Kasozi (UPDF FC), Ronald Madoi (Wakiso Giants FC), Kakogwe Apollo (Wakiso Giants FC), Rogers Torach (Vipers SC), Umar Lutalo (SC Villa), Ibrahim Juma (Leganes CD, Spain)
Midfielders - Saidi Mayanja (KCCA FC), Frank Katongole (St. Mary’s, Kitende), Isma Mugulusi (Makedonikos FC, Greece), Titus Ssematimba (Wakiso Giants FC), Travis Mutyaba (SC Villa), Mutebi Hakim (SC. Villa), Ivan Irinimbabazi (Soltilo Bright Stars FC)
Forwards - Rogers Mugisha (UPDF FC), Kakande Patrick Jonah (SC Villa), Issa Bugembe (Soltilo Bright Stars FC), Magogo Shafiq (UPDF FC), Dembe John Paul (KCCA FC U20), Alpha Ssali (Proline FC), Emmanuel Mukisa (Kataka FC)
Hippos schedule
February 20th: vs Central African Republic – 4:00 pm
February 23rd: vs Congo -7:00pm
February 26th: vs South Sudan - 7:00 pm
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