Thursday 8 November 2012

Harambee Stars drops to position 130 as Uganda`s Cranes names squad for Cecafa Challenge cup


By Fred Maingi

Harambee Stars have dropped down two places to stand   at position 130 following their recent 2-1 loss to South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
  According to the latest Fifa rankings released  on Wednesday,Kenya’s  recent  loss  and lack of  active  engagement has resulted with the new developments that could  boil down to foreign based players fail to  attract recognition.
The latest rankings makes  the upcoming participation in the CECAFA Senior challenge cup and the African Nations championships(CHAN)  very crucial  for Stars to arrest the situation.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Chairman Sam Nyamweya has in the past initiated that improving the countries ranking in world football was the federation's priority and pointed out the friendly matches played against top class teams was the only way to improve local standards.
    Stars recently loss to South Africa marked a rude welcome for newly appointed French tactician Henry Michel.
 Harambee stars are programmed to face Tanzania Taifa Stars next Wednesday in another international friendly before embarking on serious preparations for the CECAFA Senior challenge cup that kicks off in just over two weeks in Kampala.
  Michel is expected to name the squad on Thursday ahead of their International friendly tie against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars.
Uganda ranked 86th in the World are still the top team in the CECAFA region followed by African cup of Nations bound Ethiopia (102) and Sudan (102)
Ivory Coast is still the number one team in Africa and position 15 in the world followed by Algeria (19) and Mali (28)
Spain Germany and Argentina are first, second and third respectively in the world rankings
 Meanwhile,Uganda Cranes coach Bobby Williamson has named a squad of 30 players  that will start residential camp  ahead of the  forthcoming 2012 Cecafa Senior Challenge  cup that will  be hosted by Uganda later this month.
  The  squad features Kenya’s Gor Mahia forward Dan Sserunkuma who has been on a  goal scoring spree  in the Kenya Premier League.He is  currently leading with 17 goals, similar to Sofapaka  FC hitman John Barasa.
 Williamson however reiterated that the striker, one of the best forwards in the Tusker Premier League (TPL), will, however, have to fight it out for a place with Hamis Kiiza, Brian Umony, Emmanuel Okwi, last year’s USL player of the year Robert Ssentogo and Joseph Mpande.
Geoffrey Walusimbi will captain the team with assistance from goalkeeper Abbey Dhaira. The players will be in camp as from Saturday 10 November.
 Goalkeepers: Abbey Dhaira, Ali Kimera, Hamza Muwonge, Yasin Mugabi
 Defenders: Nicholas Wadada, Denis Guma, Joseph Owino, Isaac Isinde, Edward Ssali, Ivan Bukenya, Geoffrey Walusimbi, Simon Namwanja.

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