Who is next for Uganda Cranes?

Jul 01, 2019

Cranes prepare for a more sterner test against either Senegal or Kenya this Friday

In sport, results at times do not offer a fair reflection of games.

And Uganda's ultimate Group A game against Egypt was one of the kind where the team's all-round performance far outweighed the 2-0 defeat.

A game where the measure of character meant much more than the implications of the result, especially given that Cranes had already guaranteed progress to the round 16.

The one obvious fact, as Cranes prepare for a more sterner test against either Senegal or Kenya this Friday, is that Frenchman Sebastien Desabre is in charge of a team that is fit, determined, mentally strong and brave enough to confront the very best on the continent.

Before falling behind to Mo Salah's free-kick on 35 minutes, Cranes had fought pound-for-pound, shown character and a refusal to yield even in the face of a capacity home crowd.

Even after falling further behind to captain Ahmed Elmohamady Abdelfattah Aly's thunderbolt, the Cranes had their moments.

And therein - lies their biggest problem -one that could undermine their progress on Friday and that is the failure to exploit key moments in games.

Cranes need to be efficient

True, with Denis Onyango in their ranks, Cranes feel as if a layer of invincibility was added to their armoury.

True, Abdu Lumala has also provided an added dimension to their game.

But all that will count for nothing, in the knock-out round, if Cranes are not efficient -one element that denied them glory against Zimbabwe and the upper-hand against the Pharaohs on Sunday.

Had Patrick Kaddu converted his well-placed opportunity on 88 minutes against Zimbabwe, Cranes could have won that particular game.

Had Abdu Lumala, Emma Okwi, Farouk Miya and Allan Kyambadde shown more composure with the chances they had against Egypt, the hosts - even with King Salah - would have folded.

Salah has yet to find his rhythm this far in the tournament. But his standards, he's way below and yet he has managed two goals so far.

On the other hand, Lumala, Okwi and Miya have really threatened with the ball, and yet have just two goals combined -and both scored by Okwi.

Salah has simply been efficient, and that's what Cranes will need marching into the last 16, where margins are small.

Cranes need Lumala and Miya's dead ball qualities

Then, there is the Lumala and Miya factor. If Lumala was good in the first two games, he was sensational against the Pharaohs and could decide our prospects on Friday.

For the first time, Lumala had the chance to start ahead of a modern-day fullback in Nicholas Wadada.

Bevis Mugabi is solid but lacks the discipline and tactical awareness to match what Wadada offered Lumala against Egypt.

Playing ahead of Mugabi, Lumala had always started well going forward, but gradually lost steam as games progressed because he was forced to cover longer distances in picking up balls from deeper positions.

On Sunday, with Wadada always surging forward, Lumala often found himself inside the box operating within yards from the opposition's goalkeeper.

That is what Cranes will need, with of course added support from Miya. When Miya shows up, the rest of the team does. When Miya finds his deliveries, Cranes score at will.

But those deliveries from dead-ball situations - the kind that set up Kaddu and Okwi for the goals against DR Congo - have gone missing.

Miya can surely strike the ball better than he did against Egypt and Cranes faithful will only hope that his unique technique -the ability to influence the ball's movement - comes to the fore on Friday.

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