Uganda Cranes head coach Morley Byekwaso has disclosed that a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni may have played a role in the team’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Guinea in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) on Friday evening.
Speaking to the media after the match at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, Byekwaso revealed that he was summoned to State House earlier on Thursday to account for the team’s poor performance in their opening fixture, a 3-0 defeat to Algeria on Monday.
“We were summoned to State House by the President and First Lady . They asked us why we failed to win the tie against Algeria. But we promised that we shall win today and we have delivered,” Byekwaso said.
The coach suggested that the presidential intervention may have fueled the players’ determination to bounce back in style.
Adding to the motivation, President Museveni has pledged sh1.2 b for every win the Cranes record in this year’s tournament. With Friday’s victory securing three crucial points, each player could walk away with an estimated UGX sh30m.
Uganda now sits in a stronger position in Group C and will be eyeing more wins — and perhaps more presidential rewards — as the tournament progresses.
