Atraco’s 2008/09 league hopes have been dealt a major blow by the news that Johnson Bagoole and Michael Sebalinga will miss this weekend’s match with Kiyovu as they’ll be away on national duty with the Uganda Cranes.

Uganda host Benin in their crucial 2010 African/World Cup qualifier in Kampala on Sunday the same weekend that Atraco face Kiyovu on day two of the national league season.   

Bagoole has been a regular for his country and his inclusion in the squad for Sunday’s tie was not a surprise but Sebalinga return to the team after so long may have caught many including himself by surprise.  

Bagoole, Atraco’s new signing scored on his debut in the 6-1 route of La Jeunesse while Ssebalinga’s paces on the left wing caused all sorts of trouble for the newly promoted side.

Speaking to Times Sport yesterday, Atraco assistant coach Emmanuel Ruremesha admitted that the duo’s absence is a major blow in the club’s preparations for the weekend game against Kiyovu who started the season with a disappointing 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Marines.

"It won’t be easy to play without them but there is nothing we can do about it. We have to do with the players available whom we believe are capable of giving their best as we seek to maintain our good start to the season,” Ruremesha said.

However, Ruremesha noted that in accordance to CAF and Fifa calendar, the national league would not have been played this weekend. 

"If Rwanda had a World/Africa cup qualifier we could not have played this weekend and I think Ferwafa should feel the concern because our players are committed to their national team duties too,” reckoned the former Kibuye tactician.

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