Uganda Cranes new Coach, Sébastien Desabre is happy with the performance Cranes displayed on Saturday in a practice game against Guinea in Rabat Morocco.
The game ended in a one all draw but the Frenchman says his boys played well and that he was impressed with their strong character.
“We had two good chances in the first half where we enjoyed possession.
Our second half was not the best in the opening 20 minutes but we changed the strategy and system to 4-4-2. From then on, the game was so open to both sides,” he explained.
“This game has given me chance to assess players further which allows me to make a choice on the line up,” Desabre added minutes after the game.
Guinea scored first through
Camara Saidouba Bissiri in the 65th minute giving the west Africans a crucial second half lead.
Nelson Ssenkatuuka who came on the pitch in the 73rd minute replacing Tadeo Lwanga, scored for Cranes in the 75th minute ending the match in a one all draw.
This was Desabre’s first game since his appointment in December last year.
Goal scorer, Nelson Ssenkatuuka believes Cranes deserved to win the game because of its good play.
“It is good for me to score my first goal, it wasn’t easy match but i think we were a better side because in the first half we had more possession,” Ssenkatuuka said.
“It wasn’t easy in our first game with the new coach but i think we did well with the instructions he gave us and i think we would have won with 2-0,” he added.
Uganda’s next friendly game will be played on Tuesday 9 against Congo Brazzaville in Rabat before travelling to Marrakech for the tournament games.
Uganda is in group B alongside Zambia, Ivory Coast and Namibia and Cranes first game will be against Zambia on Jan 14 before playing Namibia and Ivory Coast on January 18 and 22 respectively.
Uganda’s starting XI
Benjamin Ochan (GK), Nicholas Wadada, Isaac Muleme, Timothy Awanyi, Bernard Muwanga (Capt), Taddeo Lwanga, Karisa Milton, Moses Waiswa, Nsibambi, Sadam Juma and Allan Kyambadde.
