Bobby: We shall reach Afcon 2012
What you need to know:
“We don’t lose at home. No way shall we lose to Kenya and I don’t care what everybody says,” said Cranes coach Bobby Williamson.
In Luanda, Angola
luanda. Angolans chanted away in delight from the November 11 Stadium in Luanda to the Central Business District, a two-hour-drive, after dismissing Uganda 2-0 in the 2012 Nations Cup qualifier at the weekend. But at a one Mana-Lu Hotel in the Luanda suburb of Roche Pinto, where the Uganda Cranes were lodged, it was a different story. Not a look of a crisis but one of solemn.
Nestroy Kizito, Vincent Kayizzi, Dennis Onyano, Vincent Kayizzi, Joseph Kabagambe, Hassan Wasswa and Hamis Kiiza sat in the lobby surfing the internet. The atmosphere in the room and their heads were low.
Further inside into the dining room, Andy Mwesigwa, et al and the coaching team were reflecting and pondering what could have been. They were all understandably sad they had just lost an immediate chance to confirm their return to the Nations Cup in 34 years by failing to hold onto their first half goalless draw before Manucho Goncalves and Flavio Amado’s second period goals shattered those hopes.
Coach Bobby Williamson, who said they owe it to the “fantasic fans” was sad too. But he is one man who likes picking himself up immediately for future tasks. And while the Scot is rueful of the missed opportunity here, he is certain of beating Kenya at Namboole on October 8, a game Uganda must win to avoid falling into any mathematics to qualify. “We don’t lose at home. No way shall we lose to Kenya and I don’t care what everybody says, really,” said the Scot, clad in his Uganda Cranes polo yellow shirt on black shorts.
Uganda last lost a home match in 2005 against South Africa and their last match in Nairobi ended goalless last year. “The truth is we never played well, really and Angola were deserving winners. I watched them against Guinea Bissau and Kenya, this is the best I’ve seen them play. “What is disappointing is we never created anything, never played our best.
But I’m positive, very positive we’ll beat Kenya. They won’t make it easy for us but we have to do our job. We hope to have all players as early as possible and we’ll field as many attack-minded people as possible. Uganda remain top of Group J on 10 points, one ahead of Angola and three in front of Kenya.
