It is quite evident that coach Sebastien Desabre is still trying to figure out his way around the Uganda Cranes technical set up. The time has been pretty short for the Frenchman to settle in, consequently having a shaky start to his tenure.
Nearly a fortnight after taking over from interim boss Moses Basena, Desabre was at the deep already as Cranes began the Africa Nations Championship (Chan) glory quest in Morocco on Saturday. Uganda lost to Zambia 3-1 in a dissatisfactory manner as the East African nation conceded twice on the counter and a piercing own goal by custodian Benjamin Ochan crushed many hearts back home.
“We played a good first half and missed out a little physically and high intensity,” Desabre stated. He is itching to see his side get its groove when the Cranes face Namibia on Match Day 2 of Group B in Marrakech on Thursday night. “We need to score first and control the minutes. We had two chances against Zambia to score first but we did not,”
“If we win the two remaining games, we shall make the last eight. But we take it game after game. Namibia is not a bad team.” Desabre added. He will however, feel undone by the absence of striker Mohammad Shaban who did not train on Tuesday.
It implies he will likely retain Derrick Nsibambi, scorer against Zambia, as the starter upfront as Uganda seeks to charge and make it out of the Chan pool stages for the first time in four straight attempts. But there is a possibility of Moses Waiswa starting ahead of Muzamir Mutyaba who has struggled to impress while Nelson Senkatuka could also go ahead of Allan Kyambadde as Desabre attempts to bolster the attack.
There is a huge debate as to whether rusty Ochan will be given another chance in goal or Ismail Watenga, who returns from suspension, will start between the sticks.Debutants Namibia shocked Ivory Coast with a 1-0 victory scored by Vetunuavi Hambira at the death which underlines the impact of coach Ricardo Mannetti’s experience.
The Elephants, semi-finalists at the 2016 edition in Rwanda, face Zambia with hope that Ibrahim Bangoura’s outfit can outsmart Wedson Nyirenda’s charges.
CHAN 2018 - MOROCCO
RESULTS
GROUP A
Morocco 4-0 Mauritania
Guinea 1-2 Sudan
GROUP B
Zambia 3-1 Uganda
Namibia 1-0 Ivory Coast
GROUP C
Libya 3-0 Equatorial Guinea
Rwanda 0-0 Nigeria
GROUP D
Angola 0-0 Burkina Faso
Congo 1-0 Cameroon
FIXTURES
THURSDAY, JANUARY 18
Ivory Coast vs. Zambia, 7:30pm
Uganda vs. Namibia, 10:30pm
FRIDAY, JANUARY 19
Libya vs. Nigeria, 7:30pm
Rwanda vs. Equatorial Guinea, 10:30pm
SATURDAY, JANUARY 20
Angola vs. Cameroon, 7:30pm
Congo vs. Burkina Faso, 10:30pm
SUNDAY, JANUARY 21
Mauritania vs. Guinea, 9pm
Sudan vs. Morocco, 9pm
MONDAY, JANUARY 22
Namibia vs. Zambia, 9pm
Uganda vs. Ivory Coast, 9pm
TUESDAY, JANUARY 23
Equatorial Guinea vs. Nigeria, 9pm
Rwanda vs. Libya, 9pm
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24
Congo vs. Angola, 9pm
Burkina Faso vs. Cameroon, 9pm
TOP SCORERS CHART
2 Goals: Saleh Al Taher (Libya), Ayoub El Kaabi (Morocco)
1 Goal: Junior Makiesse (Congo), Sékou Amadou Camara (Guinea), Zakaria Al Harash (Libya), Achraf Bencharki & Ismail Haddad (Morocco), Vetunuavi Hambira (Namibia), Saifeldin Malik Bakhit & Omer Suleiman Koko (Sudan), Derrick Nsibambi (Uganda), Lazarous Kambole, Fackson Kapumbu & Augustine Mulenga (Zambia)
UGANDA CRANES XI VS. ZAMBIA: Benjamin Ochan (GK), Nico Wadada, Isaac Muleme, Timothy Awany, Bernard Muwanga, Tadeo Lwanga, Milton Karisa, Sadam Juma (Muhammad Shaban 70’), Allan Kyambadde (Nelson Senkantuka 80’), Muzamiru Mutyaba (Moses Waiswa 75’), Derrick Nsibambi
SUBS NOT USED: Keni Saidi (G.K), Isma Watenga (G.K), Abubakar Kasule, Joseph Nsubuga, Musitafa Mujuzi, Rahmat Ssenfuka, Aggrey Madoi, Paul Mucureezi