Uganda 3-1 Sao Tome and Principe
Uganda 0-0 Malawi
By Denis West
It was a mixed home introduction for Frenchman Sebatien Desabre after earning a convincing 3-1 win over Sao Tome and Principe and then being held to a barren draw by Malawi.
Herein we delve into the major talking points that Desabre, Fufa, players and all stakeholders can build on henceforth.
Blunt strikers
In his 3-5-2 formation, Desabre employs two strikers in search of goals. He opted for the striking partnership of Emma Okwi and Yunus Sentamu that has yielded no goals. He tried out budding Masavu youngster Abraham Ndugwa, Derrick Nsibambi, Fahd Bayo but still the goals didn’t come in gluts.
Worth noting is that the two goals against the Island nation came from defenders Joseph Ochaya and Murushid Jjuuko. He still had the option of Hood Kaweesa on the bench but may be didn’t see him as a remedy to the scoring crisis. Isn’t it time he thought of recalling forgotten proven goal machine Geoffrey Sserunkuma? Well he might be thing that way soon than later.
Creativity force wanting
If striking has been Uganda’s main undoing, then the dearth of natural playmakers has been its second in command. Forget the old golden days of David Obua, Hakim Magumba, Jackson Mayanja and Steven Bogere, Cranes lach a link between defence and attack plus that deft player that can make that penetrative final pass.
With Farouk Miya, Muzamir Mutyaba and Yasser Mugerwa who can provide a semblance of creativeness absent, Desabre went with two holding midfielders Tadeo Lwanga and Hassan Wasswa in the midfield and relied on wingers Ochaya and Milton Karisa to weave in crosses which largely backfired. The introduction of dribbling forward Luwagga Kizito didn’t help matters as spent so much time romancing the ball than distributing it to strikers.
Desabre noted the need to have a ‘technical player’ to act as the team’s fulcrum. “We need to improve in penetration. We need to get that link to connect between the defence and the strikers.” Football experts unanimously agree that the lasting remedy would be to expedite the progress of Under-20 creative cogs; Allan Okello, Julius Poloto and Frank ‘Zaga’ Tumwesigye which incidentally can take three years to come to fruition.
Empty terraces a shame!
Who slept at his job? How far can this go? How can this happen to the best football brand (Cranes)? The questions are many but the answers seem to be few. Nonetheless we can’t fail to apportion blame. The finger pointing starts with Fufa that failed to tap ‘a credible challenger’. With due respect to Sao Tome, by the way they outperformed many a pundit’s expectations, few Ugandans have heard about the nation or bother to know their football exploits.
Malawi has been here so many times that the game could have passed on as a ‘routine’ to many Cranes diehards. Then again the marketing team must have slept on their job for failing to assemble at least 10000 at the 42000 capacity seater stadium (Namboole) never mind the gate entrance fee being at its lowest in recent years – a paltry shs5000! Then again someone should have birthed a thought of taking the game to Lugogo to avoid the glaring shame. Going forward, Fufa should revisit Micho Sredojevic’s past magic of securing high profile friendlies and also use their ‘friends’ at Caf profitably to abate this ‘debacle’ ever happening again.
Sexy football still miles away
It will take some time before Uganda Cranes plays as a unit and embrace the telepathic inter passing under Desabre. Hopefully by the time Cranes plays Tanzania in the Frenchman’s first competitive match (Afcon) in September, the chemistry would have spread through the team but the two friendly games helped to show the gigantic task at his hands to achieve his dream.
Don’t blame him yet because he is transforming a team full of players who have grown up feeding on the ‘negative’ defensive football yet modern game dictates attack as the best form of defence.
Mugabi, Lwanga and Karisa past early test
Yes, England based defender Bevis Mugabi showed that his imposing frame, game reading and solidity will be required by Desabre. He never put any foot wrong during his trial games and forged a somewhat impressive defensive shield with Jjuuko. Tadeo Lwanga’s spirited display reminded Vietnam based Godfrey Baba Kizito of a pending battle for midfield slots yet Karisa continues to be that must have rough diamond for Desabre. Hitherto untouchable pros like Denis Guma and Isaac Isinde must pull up their socks who be dropped.
