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Besides Mugulusi, Oyo and Ssali, ten other players were key to the Uganda Cubs Afcon 2019 and 2021 campaigns.
Jackson Mayanja attempted to ease the pressure on his players ahead of their Afcon under-20 campaign by avoiding comparisons with the 2021 team that won silver.
The coach was responding to the media in a pre-match press conference ahead of their opener against Central African Republic on Monday evening.
“The team which achieved that is no longer here. I don’t want us to talk about last year,” Mayanja told the media.
“We have only two players from that team so, this is a different team. We hope we can do a good job but this is a different environment because at that time there was covid but now everybody is very prepared.
The team captain Isma Mugulusi, striker Alpha Ssali and goalie Delton Oyo were part of that historic team. Mayanja notes that the three are crucial in leading and psyching the rest.
“The captain has a good experience and psychologically they can use that to motivate other players and lead.
Good progress
Mayanja notes that the progress of most of the players through the junior ranks is important in the long run. He says that the progression of most of the players has created the right mind to push for the country’s objective to reach the World Cup.
“We thank the federation for the progression of these players. That is very important for our ambition to qualify for the World Cup,”
Besides the trio, ten other players were key to the Uganda Cubs Afcon 2019 and 2021 campaigns.
They include defenders Justine Opiru, Samson Kasozi and Spanish-based Ibrahim Juma who played at the Afcon U-17 in 2019 held in Tanzania.
Seven others were part of the 2021 team though Morocco cancelled the tournament just days to kick off because of covid.
Goalkeepers Abdu Magada and Shamulan Kamya, Wakiso Giants defender Ronald Madoi, midfielders Saidi Mayanja, Hakim Mutebi and Ivan Irinimbabazi were part of the team that had flown to Morocco.
Strikers Issa Bugembe and Shafiq Magogo were also part of the campaign.
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