Uganda Cranes head coach Jonathan Mckinstry is hopeful that his captain Halid Lwaliwa will be fit for the upcoming fixtures at the ongoing CHAN tournament in cameroon.

Lwaliwa missed the opening fixture against Rwanda as the Cranes registered a goalless draw.

Mckinstry confirmed that the Vipers defender sustained an injury in training ahead of the Rwanda game.

“He had a strain on his harmstring a couple of days before the match, a harmstring is not one of those things you rush a player quickly,” he stated.

Mckinstry believes that his captain will be ready for the next games.

He said: “We didn’t want to rush him, we are hopeful in the upcoming games he will be ready, we are speaking to the doctor and he will be in training this evening.

“We arrived at a decision with the medical doctors that he misses the opening game and he returns for the next games.”

Lwaliwa’s return will be a big boost at the heart of the defense for the Cranes.

Against Rwanda, Mckinstry opted for Mustafa Mujuzi and Patrick Mboowa in the heart of defence.

Uganda will be back in action against Togo on Friday in the second game before facing defending champions Morocco in the last game.