Ahead of KCCA’s crucial Uganda Premier League match against NEC on Thursday, head coach Abdallah Mubiru faces a key decision on whether to include three of his players.
Saidi Mayanja, Shafik Nana Kwikiriza, and Gavin Kizito returned late from national duty with the Uganda Cranes.
The trio, who traveled to Congo Brazzaville for the final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, rejoined the team in the early hours of Thursday, the day of the match.
Despite their fatigue, Mubiru is keen to assess their readiness for the high-stakes game.
“I know they’re fatigued, but they’re our players and we need them for such a game,” Mubiru said in an interview with the club’s media team.
“We will assess them to see how ready they are ahead of the game.”
None of the three featured in the Uganda Cranes’ matches against South Africa or Congo Brazzaville.
Kwikiriza missed the South Africa game due to school commitments, while Kizito and Mayanja remained unused substitutes.
For the Congo fixture, Kwikiriza and Kizito didn’t see any playing time, while Mayanja wasn’t even named in the matchday squad.
Mayanja, Kwikiriza, and Kizito are mainstays in the KCCA lineup this season while Rashid Okocha is the NEC who was also on national duty with South Sudan in a 3-0 away to South Africa on Tuesday.
As the game approaches, KCCA will be hoping the players can shake off any fatigue and make a strong impact in the match against NEC.
