Micho switches attention to ‘The Pharaohs’ of Egypt
Rallying cry. Cranes coach Micho says that his troops will give 200% against Egypt. AFP Photo
What you need to know:
- Ghana coach Avram Grant, a highly unpopular figure in the West African nation, was spared questions for the many mistakes the Black Stars committed solely because his team picked maximum points despite a lackadiscal second half on Tuesday evening.
- In 17 matches, Cranes has beaten Egypt only once and that was in 1965. There are three draws and 13 defeats.
Micho is convinced the team has now been ‘awakened to the demands of the stage’ and will take on Egypt having managed 90 minutes of Afcon under their belt.
In the game of football, victory hides a multitude of sins while defeat always requires an explanation.
Ghana coach Avram Grant, a highly unpopular figure in the West African nation, was spared questions for the many mistakes the Black Stars committed solely because his team picked maximum points despite a lackadiscal second half on Tuesday evening.
His Cranes counterpart had just to explain why Uganda fell at the opening hurdle and what the team must do to negotiate the stunner Saturday test that is Egypt’s Pharaohs. That is the nature of the game.
“39 years we have not been here,” coach Micho Sredojevic (inset) observed. “In the first half we had an element of stage fright.”
“And ultimately we paid the price because of one expensive mistake that is hard to explain.”
Like Uganda, Egypt are still looking for their first goal at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations but unlike Cranes they have a point in the bag and are joint-second with Mali in Group D.
Uganda is bottom of the table and defeat to the north Africans will be the end of business for Cranes in Gabon.
“We shall give 200% against Egypt and Mali,” the Serb has promised, admitting that there are deficiencies in attack where skipper Geoffrey Massa continues to struggle.
“We have to sit down with the technical team and find a tactical solution to become effective in front of goal.” In fact Uganda has now gone 212 minutes without a goal at the Africa Cup of Nations - the last strike came via legendary Philip Omondi in the 1978 Afcon semi-final against Nigeria.
“Football is about putting the ball in the back of the net,” Micho concedes.
“I am proud of the effort of my team but we will not look into individual mistakes.
“We will focus on the whole team.”
Uganda’s second half performance was a positive for the team, who must play to the best of their abilities to overcome a team that has historically had it easy against Cranes.
Draws and defeats
In 17 matches, Cranes has beaten Egypt only once and that was in 1965. There are three draws and 13 defeats.
Micho is convinced the team has now been ‘awakened to the demands of the stage’ and will take on Egypt having managed 90 minutes of Afcon under their belt.
Micho will play a different line-up against Egypt with midfielder Khalid Aucho and centre back Murushid Juuko returning from suspension.
It remains to be seen which paid will start in central defence given that Hassan Wasswa was flawless in Tuesday night. Juuko and Isaac Isinde, Tuesday’s villain, was the first choice pairing in the Afcon qualifiers.
Saturday’s other Group D match will be Ghana against Mali in what should be an intriguing showdown.
