Vipers Sports Club captain Milton Karisa has been ruled out for two months following a quadriceps muscle tear sustained during his team’s 1-0 victory over Maroons FC in a Uganda Premier League fixture at Kitende on Monday.
This injury automatically sidelines him from the upcoming Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) finals, set to run from February 1 to 28, 2025, in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
The Venoms confirmed Karisa’s absence on their website ahead of their Stanbic Uganda Cup round-of-64 clash against Tepa FC in Ngora.
“Skipper Milton Karisa will be out for two months after suffering a partial tear of the quadriceps femoris muscle in our last league game against Maroons FC,” the club stated.
Karisa was included in Paul Put’s 36-man provisional squad for CHAN 2024 on Wednesday despite suffering the injury on Monday, as the extent was yet to be known.
Now, the club has confirmed the length of the injury, and Karisa’s absence leaves Vipers with five players in the Uganda Cranes squad, including defenders Derrick Ndahiro, Rogers Torach, Hillary Mukundane, and Paul Patrick Mbowa, along with midfielder Allan Okello.
With forwards Denis Omedi and Hakim Kiwanuka signing for Rwanda’s APR FC, shortly after the squad announcement, the Cranes may face the challenge of missing at least three key players that were initially included.
In a bid to fill gaps in the squad, KCCA’s Usama Arafat Kizza has been added to the group, which begins training today, January 10, at the Prisons Grounds in Luzira.
The team will conduct non-residential training sessions through Sunday, January 12, before shifting to a residential camp at Cranes Paradise Hotel in Kisasi on Monday, January 13.
Head coach Paul Put emphasized that the early training days will focus on assessing player fitness and readiness before trimming the squad to 26 players for the final phase of preparation.
Uganda is set to make its sixth consecutive CHAN appearance, with hopes of advancing beyond the group stages for the first time.
