Ghana Limping -Ugandan paper

CRANES' 2006 World Cup/Nations Cup opponents Ghana have been hit by an injury scare.

Ghana's Portuguese tactician Mariano Bareto has been forced to count the cost of Friday's friendly against Mozambique, that could well have robbed him of the services of attackers Asamoah Gyan and Kojo Poku.

Ghana won the game 1-0 courtesy of Italian based Asamoah, before limping off with a hamstring injury. Also limping is Juventus midfielder Stephen Appiah, injured against South Africa, while Samuel Osei Kuffour and Ibrahim Tanko had to be rested for the friendly. The Black Stars are expected in the country on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Cranes working committee yesterday asked soccer governing body FUFA to hasten procedures to secure Chelsea player Joel Kitamirike a Ugandan passport.

"We want this known as soon as possible and not leave people in suspense," disclosed Aggrey Kibenge, spokesman of the 15-man committee.

"Rest assured he is playing. We have worked out everything," boasted FUFA secretary Haruna Mawanda when asked whether he had secured the passport and informed FIFA accordingly.

Meanwhile, Vietnam-based players Jamil Kyambadde and Andy Lule have joined camp, while Ibrahim Sekagya returned to Argentina to sort local problems before returning.

NET Shoppe has offered 32 mosquito nets worth sh0.48m to the Cranes. Abdul Shafiq, the liaison representative of the company handed over the ParmanNet brand of nets, reports Norman Katende.

In another development, Dennis Mbidde, the spokesman of Save Our Soccer (SOS), has said that their pressure group will on Thursday donate sh1m to Cranes.

Mbidde, who is also the chairman of Uganda's Arsenal supporters club, called on all the association's fans to cheer Cranes on Saturday...