German star lined up for Botswana-Uganda game
It has always never been an easy decision for many sportsmen to choose between the natural country of birth and decent.
Prior to being named to the Uganda Cranes team, 21 year old left footed winger cum striker, Melvyn Lorenzen faced such a dilemma. Born in London (United Kingdom) to a Ugandan father, Drake Mugisa and German mother, Lorenzen as a person and the father preferred and had a soft spot for the East African land-locked nation, Uganda.
The mother perhaps believed and wished the son could turn out for Germany.'Lorezen Melvyn's heart has been with Uganda and it is not surprising he has sided with the Pearl of Africa' Milutin 'Micho' Serdojevic, Cranes head coach told the media recently.
Lorenzen, a regular visitor to Uganda every June (to the family home in Ntinda and ancestral village in Fort Portal) after the competitive season was set for his first cap with the Uganda Cranes in the friendly that was scheduled for this past weekend against Zimbabwe. Micho noted that the main purpose of summoning a player of Lorenzen's quality was basically to add competition to the available strikers on the team as well as utilize his experience that comes along playing in one of the top five leagues in the world - Bundesliga.
In case he convinces the technical team during the friendly, who knows Lorenzen will don the famous black-yellow and red stripped jersey in the AFCON 2017 qualifier against Botswana in Francistown on June 4th, 2016.He faces stiff competition from six other forwards named on the team that include Standard Liege's Farouk Miya, team captain Geofrey Massa, Davis Kasirye (Rayon Sports), Emmanuel Okwi and the home based strikers - Erisa Ssekisambu and Edrisa Lubega.Full Name: Melvyn LorenzenDate of Birth: 26th November 1994Place of Birth: London, United KingdomJoined SV Werder Bremen in 2013 from Holstein Kiel.He made Bundesliga debut against VFB Stuttgart on 5th October 2013.On 13 December 2014, Lorenzen played his first Bundesliga match as part of the starting lineup and scored in a 3–3 draw against Hannover. On 28 January 2015, Lorenzen sustained an injury to the meniscus of his right knee before undergoing surgery two days later.Lorenzen had his first appearance of the 2015–2016 season in Werder's 0–1 home defeat to Bayern Munich on 17 October 2015 before being substituted after 59 minutes.
Youth Career: SP Vgg Putlos (2001-2005), Oldenburger SV (2005-2007), Holsetein Kiel (2007-2013)Senior Career: Werder Bremen II and Werder Bremen (2013-2016)Uganda Cranes full Squad summoned for Botswana game:
Goalkeepers: Dennis Onyanyo (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Robert Ondongkara (St George, Ethiopia), Salim Jamal Magola (El Merriekh, Sudan)Defenders: Denis Iguma (Al Ahed, Lebanon), Isaac Isinde (St George, Ethiopia), Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Al Shorta, Iraq), Joseph Ochaya (KCCA, Uganda)
Midfielders: Mike Azira (Colorado Rapids), Moses Oloya (Becamex Binh Duong, Vietnam), Aucho Khalid (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Tonny Mawejje (Thottur, Iceland), William Kizito Luwagga (Feirense, Portugal), Godfrey Walusimbi (Gor Mahia, Kenya)Strikers: Farouk Miya (Standard Liege, Belgium), Davis Kasirye (Rayon Sports, Rwanda), Edrisa Lubega (Proline, Uganda), Erisa Ssekisambu (Vipers, Uganda), Geofrey Massa (Bloemfontein Celtics, South Africa), Emmanuel Okwi (Sondyerske, Denmark), Lorenzen Melvyn (Werder Bremen, Germany) [Kawowo Sports]