Uganda may have walked away with a 2–1 win over Chad on Friday evening, but the real headline at Stade Berrechid was the emerging identity of a team still under construction. With the Africa Cup of Nations looming, head coach Paul Put used the friendly not as a search for goals, but as a laboratory for ideas, combinations, and character.
From the onset, it was clear the Cranes were fielding a side still learning each other’s rhythms. New faces dotted the pitch, and Put allowed them the freedom to express themselves even in uncomfortable moments. Chad took advantage early, pressing with intent and forcing Uganda’s backline into awkward retreats. Uganda, however, held firm enough for the opening exchanges.
The breakthrough came not from fluid build-up, but from forward bravery. Ikpeazu Uchechukwu forced a penalty after outmuscling his marker, then calmly buried it to give Uganda the lead. It was a moment that highlighted the physicality Put wants at the heart of his attacking play.
Before the first half closed, goalkeeper Dennis Kiggundu made a statement of his own. His sharp one-on-one stop against Tchaouna Haroun was as crucial to Uganda’s rhythm as the opening goal an assurance that the new-look Cranes had stability at the back.
The second half began with Uganda showing more confidence. Melvyn Lorenzen pounced on a loose ball and fired in a precise volley to double the advantage, a finish that underlined his growing influence in the team’s evolving system.
Chad wasn’t done. A penalty converted by Tchaouna halved the deficit and injected tension into the contest. But again, Kiggundu responded stretching to palm away a dangerous effort from Marius Mouandilmad and protect the lead.
The match offered more than a result; it offered evidence. Evidence of depth. Evidence of tactical flexibility. Evidence that Put’s project is beginning to take shape.
Uganda now shifts focus to Tuesday’s clash against Morocco a sterner test that will reveal even more about how far this new Cranes unit has grown, and how far it still has to go.
