Fit-again Nsibambi vows to carry Cranes load

Back with a bang after a two-year absence, KCCA striker Derrick Nsibambi is hitting his stride at just the right moment. 

With two goals in four StarTimes Uganda Premier League games for his table-topping KCCA, lean Nsibambi has proven he is ready to fill the void left by the absent Muhammad Shaban.

Hungry to make an impact, the reborn forward is eager to become the reliable goal-scoring option that Uganda Cranes need in the Afcon double-header against neighbours South Sudan.

Though there was an injury scare in his last league outing against Soltilo Bright Stars at Kavumba last week - where he found the net but was promptly stretched off  in pain  - the lanky forward has since shaken off any concerns. 

Fully fit and back in training, Nsibambi is laser-focused on adding to his six national team goals from 22 appearances. Determined and rejuvenated, he’s ready to step up when his country needs him most.

"I feel like I’m now firing on all cylinders and ready to shoulder the load for my country. I have unfinished business," he revealed.

Second bite at the cherry

Reflecting on his last appearance for Uganda Cranes - a 1-1 draw against Niger at St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, on June 8, 2022 - Nsibambi feels as if he never truly left. 

"I felt good (when summoned) after a long time but I still demanda lot from myself," he says. 

Now, he is eager to prove he deserves a starting spot and to make a meaningful impact for both club and country. ‘I want to help KCCA achieve its goals while also scoring goals. Nothing would thrill me more than hitting the back of the net against South Sudan on Friday at Namboole," he added.

Nsibambi is confident  that he will slide seamlessly into Paul Put's Cranes set-up, thanks to familiar faces and established chemistry with a couple of the current players. 

Having once played alongside one of the playmakers, Allan Okello, at KCCA, and previously partnering with Shaban, he knows they are capable of a potent collaboration. 

"I can score because I'm playing with talented young boys and being fed by two gifted playmakers, Okello and Travis Mutyaba. 

"I played with Okello at KCCA, and we already have that chemistry. "I partnered with Shaban in both the league and Caf competitions; we used to start games together, so when he returns, we can only get better, because we know what each can do," he asserted.

Jostle for number nine

He is well aware of the fierce competition for spots up front, with gifted forwards like Denis Omedi, Jude Ssemugabi, Shafik Kwikiriza, Rogers Mato, Derrick Nsibambi, Steven Mukwala, and Calvin Kabuye all in the mix. 

But Nsibambi is ready for the challenge, emphasizing the camaraderie among the forwards at Put's disposal.

"The good thing is that every forward wants to learn from one another,’ he shared. ‘It will come down to who can tuck away the chances.The coach expects goals from all of us, and I’m here to deliver," Nsibambi revealed.

His motivation is further fueled by the warm welcome he received upon rejoining KCCA, where Coach Abdallah Mubiru - who gave him his league debut and has both played for and coached the national team - continually reminds him of his potential. 

Mubiru’s belief in his abilities resonates deeply, reassuring him that, even at 30, he has plenty left to offer. 

"Coach Mubiru keeps drumming it into my mind that I still have a lot to give, both in scoring goals for KCCA and for the national team,’ he said.

Nsibambi stands out as the most experienced and natural striking option among the available forwards at the moment but Put has several tactical choices at his disposal.

If  the Belgian gaffer wants speed and directness, Mukwala could be the answer. For an element of unpredictability, Omedi offers a versatile threat. 

And should he opt to press the visitors' defense with youthful energy and pace, Ssemugabi might get the nod. 

Each forward brings a unique skill set, providing Put with plenty of strategic flexibility as the national team gears up for the must-win clash.

Familiar foes

The seasoned forward - who has plied his trade with clubs like Smouha (Egypt), Sidama Coffee and Sebeta City (Ethiopia), URA, Al-Bashayer (Oman), and Bandari (Kenya) - believes that familiarity between Ugandan and South Sudan players will be a critical factor. 

With many South Sudanese players having migrated from Uganda, he knows the match-up will be intense. 

Players like Tito Okello, Ivan Wani, Emmanuel Loki, Rashid Toha, Alfred Leku, Francis Onekalit, Rahsid Okocha, Geriga Atendele and midfielder Gadafi Wahab all had hopes of playing for Cranes before switching allegiance to the Bright Stars.

"I’ve faced their defender Toha , back when he was at Onduparaka and later in Kenya with Police FC, while I was at Bandari. We know each other’s styles, and that’s going to make it an even more exciting battle,’" Nsibambi opined.