Africa-Press – Uganda. Uganda will hope for better fortunes against Zambia this Tuesday after losing their first of two friendlies to hosts Mali 1-0 in the capital Bamako on Friday.
Substitute Lassine Sinayoko scored the only goal of the match from the penalty spot at Stade du 26 Mars as interim coach Morley Byekwaso and his team oversaw their first of two contracted matches.
Byekwaso and his interim deputy Fred Muhumuza were appointed over a week ago to oversee the two said games pending appointment of a permanent Cranes coach.
In Bamako, Uganda were actually lucky to lose only by one goal as the Malians dominated the match, hitting the post twice and wasting clear scoring opportunities.
No imagination
While Uganda will pick positives from their resilient defending, lack of imagination in the final continues to haunt them.
Joel Mutakubwa started in goal for the cranes, with Kenneth Ssemakula, Azizi Kayondo, Livingstone Mulondo and Halidi Lwaliwa completing the back four.
Captain Khalid Aucho anchored the base of the midfield, with debutant Hudu Mulikyi and Bright Anukani giving him company.
Vipers captain Milton Karisa, Richard Basangwa and Rogers Mugisha led the three-man attack.
But it is the hosts that made most of the initiatives, with Boubacar Traore directing things.
Mali joy and sadness
However, Mali’s win came at a big cost. The match had to be briefly interrupted in the 30th minute to allow for the evacuation – in an ambulance – of injured star striker Ibrahim Koné, whose ankle horribly turned to leave the his Afcon 2024 prospects in jeopardy.
With Sinayoko replacing Kone, the hosts upped the ante, hitting the upright twice off an Amadou free-kick and a powerful drive from Kamory Doumbia on 41 minutes.
Nene Dorgeles did have the ball at the back of the net for Mali but the goal was ruled out for offside on 52 minutes.
At nil-all, Byekwaso made a triple substitution, bringing on Elvis Bwomono, debutant Denis Omedi and Rogers Mato for Ssemakula, Mugisha and Basangwa to try to bolster things up.
But it is the hosts’ incessant pressure that paid off with a quarter of an hour to play after second half substitute and debutant Fousseni Diabaté passed to Adama Noss Traore, who was brought down in the area for a penalty.
Malian striker Sinayoko stepped forward to convert the penalty for a rather deserved win for the Eagles.
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