Micho happy with Senegal display
Tactical Nous. Coach Micho (L) passing on tips to defender Murushid Juuko (C) and forward Farouk Miya during a recent Cranes game at Mandela National Stadium Namboole.
Photo by ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
Soccer. Uganda are in Group L with Cape Verde, Tanzania and Lesotho. There are 12 groups, with table toppers and three best runners-up qualifying for the final tournament
KAMPALA.
Uganda Cranes have gone two straight scoreless matches and seen the back of the net only twice in their last six games, including three Nations Cup encounters in Gabon.
But coach Micho Sredojevic’s men will take heart from the last 180 minutes of clean sheets against credible opposition of Ethiopia and Senegal.
In fact, if they keep another clean sheet in Praia City this Saturday, the worst Uganda can have is another draw, hardly a tragedy against the group’s arguably most dangerous side in Cape Verde.
The Cranes shared spoils in Hawassa City at the weekend before posting yet another goalless draw in Dakar early Tuesday morning as they prepare for their first 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Cape Verde in Praia on Saturday
“Against Ethiopia, the performance was much better than the result,” explained Micho, “And I’m very, very happy with the commitment, dedication and performance of the group we had in Ethiopia.” Six players that were in the squad that faced Ethiopia were released and sent back home to await Chan preparations next month.
Equally, six KCCA’ players and Mamelodi Sundowns’ goalkeeper Denis Onyango, straight from continental club duty, joined the team for the Dakar trip.
“Coming to Senegal is by far the highest level of test 48 hours after our friendly against Ethiopia,” expounded Micho.
“We needed to divide the time and give chance to all the players to enter play, which is the biggest benefit.”
The 47-year-old Serbian added: “Look, no coach in the world can provide situational training the way match of this magnitude can provide us.
“One of the best midfielders of the English Premiership Idrissa Gana Gueye, two, maybe the most expensive defenders in African football Amadou M’Bodji and Kalidou Koulibaly, and all are stars of Senegalese football.
“They have presented us what standards we are looking for, and I believe after those two matches, even in Fifa ranking we can move.
“However, whatever is behind us is history. We want critically to look at the shortcomings of matches behind us and that is we need to be much more dangerous on the opponent goal.”
