Shaban anticipates for more against Egypt
PORT-GENTIL.
When you look around Cranes set-up, nearly all have been part of the senior team fabric longer than Mohammed Shaban.
The Onduparaka club skipper is the youngest of all the 23 players in the Cranes camp.
Shaban ought to count himself lucky to be playing at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) way ahead of many strikers of this generation such as Robert Ssentongo, Hamis Kiiza and Emmanuel Okwi.
Unlike the rest, he was not part of the senior Cranes’ side over a year ago until his recent exploits in the Uganda Premier League (UPL) this season.
Also, he consistently found the back of the net in build-matches ahead of Gabon with the goals against Slovenia earlier this month standing out.
On Tuesday, the 19-year-old was a second substitute, replacing Kizito Luwagga after 57 minutes in Uganda’s 1-0 loss to Ghana on Tuesday.
“I feel very happy,” Shaban disclosed in an interview with Saturday Monitor. “…because it is not an easy thing to join the national team when you are still a teenager,” he said with a smile.
And as the Cranes face Egypt at Stade de Port-Gentil tonight, Shaban hopes that he can propel his team to greater heights.
“It will be a crucial match. I will fight hard for my team to try and get through to the next stage,” the graduate from the U-17 feeder side said.
