Home Sports Star players that featured at the 2022 WAFCON

Star players that featured at the 2022 WAFCON

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By Robald Lusulire

The Uganda national women’s football team, the Crested Cranes, are now featuring at Africa’s biggest football show, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), in Morocco.

The 2022 appearance comes after about 22 years of absence. Uganda last played at this tournament in 2000 under coach Sam Timbe, when it was hosted by South Africa.

Since then, the growth of women football in the country slightly took a pause until around 2007 when women football started getting fancied in schools, with players offered bursaries.

Despite slow growth, there were lots of hope. In 2014, the Women League, then named ‘Elite’, came to life, standing the test of time up to this day.

The Crested Cranes’ lineup before their match against Zambia in Morocco. (Photo/FUFA)

This gave the Crested Cranes and other youth teams the chance to take part in different tournaments both at regional and continental levels.

Pitted in Group A alongside host Morocco, Burkina Faso and Senegal in the tournament that got underway on July 2, the coach, George Lutalo team are the underdogs in the group.

But with their hunger for a win, talent and desire to use the tournament to market themselves, the Crested Cranes were expected to surprise many.

Unfortunately, they have lost two games already; losing 0-2 to Senegal on July 3 and 3-1 to Morocco on July 5.

Star players
As the tournament goes on, here are some Uganda’s star players representing the country in Morocco.

Ruth Aturo, the skipper currently plying her trade at KTP Naiste in Finland, has always been one of the most inspirational players in national colours, with big saves.

Aturo

Aturo is greatly remembered for saving two penalties at the qualifiers against the Ethiopia Lucy, to progress to the next round.

Fazila Ikwaput (Lady Doves, Uganda). The fox and goal poacher was also the joint leading scorer in the FUFA Women Super League, as well as the recent CECAFA Women Champions MVP in Njeru.

Ikwaput

She is top scorer, with 6 goals to her name. Ikwaput was expected to be one of the star ladies to shine in Morocco.

Hasifa Nassuna (UCU Lady Cardinals, Uganda). The Crested Cranes skipper at the CECAFA Women Championship in Njeru and Uganda’s all- time leading scorer in women club football, would have been the brain behind Uganda’s creativity.

Her intelligence, composure and class was key if the Crested Cranes were to make history at the WAFCON.

Joan Nabirye, nicknamed Pogba. The Vihiga Queens anchor woman is a true description of hard work; a box-to-box player. Her energy was highly required for the team’s success.

Fauzia Najjemba (Biik ShymKent, Kazakhstan), the reigning FUFA -Airtel MVP and Uganda U20 star possesses pace, skills and an eye for goals.

Najjemba

To her, this tournament comes at the right time to showcase her talent on a higher stage.

Sandra Nabweteme (Unttached). The first FUFA-Airtel Awards MVP in history in 2015 and “a kid from Katwe”, is arguably the best forward of her generation.

Nabweteme

Not so much known by those who have just started following women football, but she is a ‘GOAT’. Nabweteme just proved this in the recently concluded CECAFA Women Championship, scoring 5 goals to become the country’s second leading scorer.

Whether she started or came off the bench, she was expected to be hungry to make an impact.

Other players:
– Daisy Nakaziro,
– Vanessa Edu=ith Karungi, m Asia Nakibuka,
– Sumaya Komuntale,
– Bira Nadunga,
– Yudaya Nakayenze,
– Lukia Namubiru,
– Tracy Jones Akiror,
– Sheeba Zalwango,
– Riticia Nabbosa,
– Phiona Nabbumba,
– Shamirah Nalugya,
– Zaina Nandede,
– Joanita Ainembabazi,
– Margret Kunihira,
– Lillian Mutuuzo,
– Viola Nambi, and
– Rita Kivumbi.

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