CECAFA Three Nations Tournament
Today 3pm
Senegal v Uganda
Uganda’s preparations for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) hit a stumbling block on Tuesday following a 1-0 defeat to regional rivals Tanzania in the CECAFA Three Nations Tournament.
The Cranes’ will now be expected to bounce back against Senegal, in their second opponent in the ongoing tri-nation build-up series, as they look to respond with a more convincing display this afternoon at the Black Rhino Academy grounds.
Captain Allan Okello, speaking ahead of the Senegal match, acknowledged the team’s shortcomings but urged the Cranes faithful to keep the faith.
“It was a wake-up call. We’re grateful for the lessons from the Tanzania match and have been working hard to fix our errors. We’re determined to give a better performance and restore belief,” Okello said.
Byekwaso, too, was candid in his post-match reflections, highlighting a lack of pressing and organisation early on but praised the improved response after halftime.
“We allowed Tanzania too much freedom in the first half. That set us back. But I saw encouraging signs in the second half—better movement, energy, and structure. We’ll build from that,” the coach noted.
One of the hot-button issues post-match was the goalkeeping situation. Joel Mutakubwa’s costly mistake handed Tanzania their winning goal, prompting speculation over a possible switch to either Denis Kiggundu or Chrispus Kusiima for the Senegal tie.
