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Ismail Watenga, October 2025Backpage
Kiplagat Sang

Key player set to miss 2025 AFCON? Mamelodi Sundowns send international to University of Pretoria after sustaining injury

The experienced goalkeeper has joined a growing list of players from Masandawana who have found homes at the lower league club. His place in the squad that will head to the AFCON finals is now doubtful, given that he is also injured.

  • Spotted at AmaTuks

    Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ismail Watenga has appeared at National First Division side AmaTuks after sustaining an injury.

    At AmaTuks, the Ugandan international joins other players from Masandawana who were sent to the second-tier outfit in order to get more playing time. 

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  • Ismail Watenga, October 2025Backpage

    Sundowns' players at AmaTuks

    Thando Buthelezi, who is on loan at AmaTuks from Sundowns, joins other players like Thulani, Zandamela, Ntando Nkosi, Abubeker Nasir and Onele Rulwana at the NFD club. 

    Watenga, who also had stints at Marumo Gallants and Chippa United, has also been part of the Uganda Cranes side regularly. 

    He has now joined the long list of players at AmaTuks from the Pretoria giants.

  • Ismail Watenga, October 2025Backpage

    Uganda's No. 1

    Since Mamelodi Sundowns star Denis Onyango retired from international football and later came back, Watenga has been mainly Uganda's number one goalkeeper. 

    He was key as the CECAFA heavyweights fought and qualified for the 2025 African Cup of Nations finals set to be held in Morocco. 

    Although he was a regular starter, Watenga came under a negative spotlight during a qualifying match against Mozambique in March this year, when his mistakes led to a 3-1 defeat by Mozambique at the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt.

    His three mistakes led to the three goals that Uganda conceded, and he was substituted at half-time. 

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  • Ismail Watenga, October 2025Backpage

    Will AmaTuks move affect his place at the Cranes?

    Should Watenga miss a place in the AFCON-bound squad, the Cranes will have to depend on other options that include Onyango, Richards Bay's Salim Magoola, Joel Mutakubwa, Nafian Alionzi, and Denis Otim. 

    Uganda are in Group C, which also has Nigeria, Tunisia, and their CECAFA rivals, Tanzania. The AFCON finals will run from December 2025 to January 2026. 

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