More questions are piling up on Uganda Cranes head coach, Milutin Sredojević Micho, after he lost a build-up match against Kitara sub-region select team 2-1 at Christ School Playground in Bundibugyo on Friday.
Two halftime goals from Ivan Onenchan and Norman Namanya were enough to sink Micho’s side into a defeat that they would undoubtedly want to avoid at this crucial juncture. The loss comes merely six days before the commencement of a crucial double header for Uganda Cranes against their rivals Tanzania in the Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
In the game, Micho, who is known for his defensive approach stuck to his typical tactics and fielded a starting eleven that consisted of at least six defenders. But, with such a starting eleven, it was evident that they could not create as many chances.
To the surprise of many Ugandans, Micho’s approach did not yield a clean sheet before the half-time break as the country’s men’s football team was trailing by two goals at the end of the first 45 minutes.
Kitara sub-region select team’s victory poses significant questions about Micho’s approach in the upcoming matches, where the challenge will be to create chances, at the same time being cautious about conceding goals.
It should, however, be noted that the Cranes played the build-up game with most of the players from the domestic league save for a few from KCCA FC and Vipers who were exempted courtesy of their clubs’ engagements.
Speaking after the match, Micho said, the absence of senior players from KCCA FC and Vipers forced the technical bench to opt for players who participated in the just concluded Under 20 AFCON, whom he says tried their best considering the fact that some were receiving their first national call up. But still, it is from this squad that he will select a few players who will join the professional players for the trip to Egypt for the first leg and visit Taifa stars four days later for a rematch.
“We have been looking forward to players that are ready to carry the jersey of Uganda Cranes, in that regard we have given them the chance, they have shown what they are capable of doing, some of them have impressed and they will travel to Egypt, some of them have not, but still we shall monitor their progress,” he said
Uganda Cranes is currently languishing at the bottom of Group F having garnered one point from their two previous matches. Similarly, their Tanzanian counterparts find themselves in a similar position, having also accrued one point from two games played so far. Algeria currently holds the top spot in the group with six points, while Nigeria follows closely behind with two points.
Meanwhile, according to the latest information from FUFA, the team has already returned to Kampala and they have checked in at Cranes Paradise Hotel where players from KCCA FC and Vipers will join the team from, before traveling to Cairo for AFCON qualifier preparations on Sunday.