Africa-Press – Uganda. The take home from Uganda’s unlikely journey to Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup is that at least there is a semblance of a team from the ruins that Micho Sredojevic found when he took over in July.
Do they play like one with a clearly defined direction? No. Not yet.
But there is a sign that younger players – both regulars and squad members – are blending in and learning. And now Micho has what to work with for the next edition of Chan and Afcon qualifiers, plus Cecafa before the close of the year. Bobosi Byaruhanga, Ibrahim Orit, Allan Okello, Bevis Mugabi, Timothy Awany, Halid Lwaliwa and Fahad Bayo among others now have to realise they are the team and must assume more responsibility.
The one area from last evening’s 1-0 defeat to Mali in the final qualification game in Agadir, Morocco that will inevitably raise questions is that of the goalkeeper.
Isma Watenga, who shared minutes with Charles Lukwago this campaign with each conceding once, was clumsily at fault for Kalifa Coulibaly’s 19th minute goal.
Micho made five changes from the team that drew one-all with Kenya last Thursday. Watenga replaced Lukwago, with Lwaliwa, Kizza, Okello and Orit all getting starting berths. Mali, who have ended their campaign on 16 points without conceding any goals, also left some of their big hitters like the three of their four Traores and Kouyate on the bench.
The early exchanges in Agadir had Mali hogging more of the ball but with both teams hardly showing signs of scoring. Actually, the game’s first attempt at goal was a tame one, yet enough to break down the Cranes.
Moussa Doumbia’s well lifted in free kick saw a rush of blood from Watenga, the goalkeeper coming off his line to almost be part of his wall. Coulibaly saw him and headed it over Watenga with the goalkeeper embarrassingly caught in no-man’s land.
Mali continued managing play and running the channels to reach Watenga, but the Cranes still looked dangerous on the break.
One of the moves saw Kizza released on the counter, the winger cutting back for Fahad Bayo. Okello failed to connect well from the spoils between Bayo and the Mali defence. The Cranes, who have conceded only twice and scored just three times through Bayo for their nine points, effectively lost out to Group E’s best team.
A +11 goal difference against Uganda’s +1 tells you the whole story. Micho’s men will have used this as a learning curve to the next workable things.
Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers
September, October, November 2021, March 2022
Yesterday’s result
Mali 1-0 Uganda
Today
Kenya vs Rwanda
Play-offs, March 2022
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