Coach Micho calls for calm

KAMPALA.

The 2-1 victory over Botswana in Francistown on Saturday left Uganda on the verge of making the Africa Cup of Nations finals for the first time in 39 years.

Uganda still have to play Comoros at Namboole on September 3, which could move them to 13 points and, possibly, to Gabon. But Uganda Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic remains grounded.

“I’m not carried away as I owe it to 37 million Ugandans after 39 years without qualification,” Micho, 46, told Daily Monitor yesterday.
“And we are just 90 minutes away. Those are my sleepless nights and hard working days with respectful hardworking relationship with all people around me. “Remember biggest pride of a coach is when he analyses opponents, sees their weaknesses put demand in the training, get respected by his players by scoring two beautiful goals.”

The Cranes hurried Botswana in and out of possession, and at times made them look like fish on Kampala Road on the break. Saturday’s win was made even more enjoyable by the craft in the build-up and execution of the two goals; just one of those days you have your cake and eat it.

Tony Mawejje glanced up and saw Kizito Luwagga’s timed run. Majestic as always on the road, the Þróttur (Iceland) midfield player put weight under the ball from inside his half, picking out Feirense’s (Portugal) forward Luwagga.

Luwagga’s first touch could easily have gone for a few million dollars, his subsequent ones enough to round the hosts’ goalkeeper and put Uganda ahead on nine minutes.

Uganda’s winner, just two minutes after Onkabetsi Makgantai had evaded Cranes defence to slip it under Denis Onyango on 50 minutes, had a semblance of the first goal.

Botswana seemingly still basking in the equaliser, Denis Guma urgently but purposefully lofted in a searching ball from the right, with his weaker left foot. Aucho never put his eyes off the ball, advancing in the area - his left body starving off his marker – before he controlled and poked it home with his left for the winner.

“Those two passes are soul food for me,” said Micho, who was due back in the country with the team last night. “They are payback for all the hard work.”

Micho says the final game has “no pressures but huge responsibility not to be like a cow that produces 10 litres of milk (10 points), with blood and sweat, and then pours all down like nothing done before.
“While now supporters are happy, personally I have forgotten yesterday’s match as the struggle continues.”

Final round of qualification
September 3
Uganda vs Comoros
Mandela National Stadium, Namboole
September 4
Burkina Faso vs Botswana

Qualified teams so far
Gabon, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Algeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Zimbabwe, Mali

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