By Wabomba Ronnie
NATIONAL
Uganda Cranes and Lamontville Golden Arrows F.C goalkeeper Ismail Watenga has undergone a successful operation on his right knee in South Africa and is expected to be out of action for at least nine months.
Watenga, who hails from Nakaloke in Mbale City, sustained a serious knee injury in the 53rd minute during Uganda Cranes’ 1-1 draw with Gambia in a friendly match played on 9th June 2025 at the Stade de Marrakech Annexe Stadium in Morocco. He was replaced by Joel Mutakubwa.
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) confirmed that Watenga had been diagnosed with a right knee ACL injury, which required surgical intervention.
Watenga revealed that the surgery was performed on Friday, 22nd August 2025, in South Africa.
“I did the surgery on Friday and I still have a long way to go. Now, nine months to go,” Watenga said.
The injury is expected to keep him sidelined for an extended period, with a typical recovery time of around one year. This rules him out of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), scheduled to kick off in December in Morocco.
He will also miss Uganda Cranes’ upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Mozambique on September 5 and Somalia on September 9, both at Mandela National Stadium. His absence has prompted Uganda to recall 40-year-old legendary goalkeeper Dennis Onyango, who retired from international duty four years ago.
“We have been struggling with goalkeeping options after Watenga’s injury, so we decided to call Onyango. He also helped us with the CHAN team, and that’s when I got to know him better. He is disciplined, mature, and experienced, and I believe he will play a key role in this important qualification campaign,” Uganda Cranes Head Coach Paul Put explained.
