Cranes intent to erase mistakes against Niger

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

Niger vs. Uganda, Niamey

SATURDAY, JUNE 2

Since taking over as Uganda Cranes’ coach a few days to New Year’s Day last year, Sébastien Desabre has spent much of his time trying to get his groove.
 
His adore for offensive and sexy football has not materialized some five months down the road.
 
Understandably so, because it requires restoring the mind-sets of players as well as threading a new football culture.
 

If Desabre is to achieve that over his three-year contract, it is pretty much possible. But results haven’t ticked in fast.
 
The Frenchman is now counting eight international matches with the Cranes but he has won just once - a 3-1 win over Sao Tome and Principe in Namboole two months ago - and three draws.
 
It would be too easy to judge Desabre with that less 15 percent success. The latest chapter was a 1-0 loss to Central Africa Republic on Wednesday in Niamey.
 


“We played and fought well during the match. I saw the effort of fighting spirit from all the players. Unfortunately, it was just one mistake that cost us,” Desabre said in the aftermath of Ralph Kottoy’s winner.
 
But one senses the feeling the players have for him especially after losing to a nation ranked 115th. They want to get things working, like the way Micho Sredojevic left them before he joined Orlando Pirates last August.
 
“The players gave their all but did not get the result we all desired,” captain Hassan Wasswa stated.
 

Cranes pitched camp in Niger to give Desabre more time with the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers in sight. The road to Cameroon 2019 resumes in September when Uganda hosts Tanzania.
 
But Desabre will want nothing short of victory when Uganda faces the hosts Niger on Saturday. “We shall plan ahead for the next match and we have to improve,” he said.
 
“It (loss to CAR) is a wake-up call for us and the opportunity to rectify our mistakes early enough before Tanzania. We need to regroup so soon and clean the mistakes before taking on Niger on Saturday,” Wasswa added.
 

DESABRE’S REIGN AT CRANES

Jan 6, 2018: Guinea 1-1 Uganda
Jan 9, 2018: Congo 1-0 Uganda
Jan 14, 2018: Zambia 3-1 Uganda
Jan 18, 2018: Namibia 1-0 Uganda
Jan 22, 2018: Ivory Coast 0-0 Uganda
Mar 24, 2018: Uganda 3-1 Sao Tome
Mar 27, 2018: Uganda 0-0 Malawi
May 30, 2018: CAR 1-0 Uganda
 
UGANDA CRANES SQUAD IN NIGER

Goalkeepers: Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Charles Lukwago (KCCA, Uganda), Jamal Salim (Al Merreikh, Sudan)
Defenders: Denis Iguma (Al Nabi Shayth, Lebanon), Nico Wadada (Vipers, Uganda), Isaac Muleme (Al Assiouty, Egypt), Godfrey Walusimbi (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania), Bevis Mugabi (Yeovil Town, England), Timothy Awany (KCCA, Uganda)
Midfielders: Hassan Wasswa (El Geish, Egypt), Khalid Aucho (East Bengal, India), Taddeo Lwanga (Vipers, Uganda), Moses Opondo (Vendsyssel, Denmark), William Kizito (CMSM Lasi, Romania), Joseph Ochaya (Lusaka Dynamos, Zambia), Milton Karisa (Vipers, Uganda), Allan Kateregga (Cape Town City, South Africa), Faruku Miya (Sabail, Azerbaijan)
Strikers: Emmanuel Okwi (Simba, Tanzania), Yunus Sentamu (Tirana, Albania), Edrisa Lubega (Floridsdorfer, Austria), Muhammad Shaban (KCCA, Uganda)
 
2019 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS QUALIFIERS

SEPTEMBER 7
Uganda vs. Tanzania
Lesotho vs. Cape Verde
OCTOBER 10, 2018
Cape Verde vs. Tanzania
Uganda vs. Lesotho
OCTOBER 13, 2018
Lesotho vs. Uganda
Tanzania vs. Cape Verde
NOVEMBER 16, 2018
Uganda vs. Cape Verde
Lesotho vs. Tanzania
MARCH 22, 2019
Tanzania vs. Uganda
Cape Verde vs. Lesotho
 
This writer is a scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and, also a sports presenter with NBS Television and Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune

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