The Uganda Cranes team, fresh from winning the 14th CECAFA senior Challenge cup at the Addis Ababa National stadium returned home on Sunday at Entebbe International Airport.
The team touched down at Entebbe by 6: 20 p.m aboard Ethiopian Airlines on flight ET 334.
They were received by the State Minister of Sports, Hon Charles Bakabulindi, the FUFA President, Eng. Moses Magogo, Nicholas Muramagi of National Council of Sports, FUFA Executive Committee members, FUFA Staff and a host of delighted fans.
The team was later hosted at welcome dinner, held at Windsor Lake Victoria Hotel where the team captain, Faruku Miya officially handed over the trophy to the FUFA president, Eng.Moses Magogo
Eng.Magogo then handed the trophy to the Honorable State minister of Sports, Charles Bakabulindi amidst wild cheers.
During the few speeches at the well organized dinner, speaker after speaker re-affirmed the profound excitement that comes along attaining success of CECAFA’s magnitude as a basis of preparing for future tournaments and competitions for the national teams.
Head of delegation, Chris Kalibala narrated the team journey from Kampala to Addis Ababa and how the team acclimatized to the Ethiopian High Altitude, with a timely recovery from the loss against Kenya to winning the title a record 14th time.
We took some time to get used to the Ethiopian high altitude. When we did settle in, these are the fruits – trophy, cash prize and medals
The FUFA president, Eng Moses Magogo praised the players and technical team for the work well done.
It is not by accident that this year we have performed well. We planned with the technical team. We set goals and winning CECAFA is in line of our prime target of project 2019.One of them was putting in place great structures of club football, a strong base for players.
Winning captain, Faruku Miya introduced each of the players on the team and thanked them for the true team work spirit alongside the coaching staff.
The team head coach, Milutin Sredojevic was equally happy about the achievements attained in 2015 especially building the winning mentality away from home.
The Cranes won six international competitive games away from home, a reflection in the drastic rise in the latest FIFA rankings, where Uganda improved five places from 68th to 63rd in the World and bettered from 18th to 13th on the African scene.
The minister lauded the team players, coaches and FUFA administrators; appreciating the role of team-work.
He re-assured the players, FUFA administrators and fans present of the continued support Government will accord to football development.
National Council of Sports was represented by the acting general secretary, Nicolas Muramagi who delivered another telling and captivating speech.
Uganda has won the CECAFA tournament now a record 14 times from 1973, 1976, 1977, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 to the current year, 2015.
