Mixed report for Desabre in first competitive game
Comparing notes: Cranes players engage one another during Saturday’s goalless stalemate at Namboole. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
- The latter was also surprisingly chosen ahead of his former teammate in Derrick Nsibambi.
- In the end the Cranes resorted to the hopeful long punts forward that Desabre also admitted showed desperation.
KAMPALA. At the post-match press conference following Uganda’s goalless draw with Tanzania, Cranes coach Sébastien Desabre was asked what he thought of Moses Waiswa’s performance on his senior debut.
His face lightened up with his lips curving into a smile.
Moments earlier, however, there had been a little stutter as he responded to whether he was feeling any sort of pressure following a run of one win in 10 games.
The two incidents in a way seemed to sum up the team’s performance in his first competitive game in charge of the senior Cranes team.
His brief tenure has seen him make some bold divisions the latest of which was handing Vipers midfielder Moses Waiswa a senior Cranes debut.
The playmaker did not disappoint, providing a positive contribution with his incisive passing despite playing slightly out of position to the right.
Always comfortable in position, he managed to link defense to attack with his left footed pass setting up a chance Joseph Ochaya who fired across goal rather than squaring for the better placed Farouk Miya.
Yet while Waiswa’s inclusion proved a masterstroke alongside Dennis Guma in midifeld, Desabre who has long preached a more attacking approach seemed to betray his ideals.
First was the contradiction in fielding another defensive minded midfielder in Khalid Aucho who has been without a club for close to a year.
The former Baroka anchorman played the full 90 minutes even when Tanzania seemed to offer little going forward as the Cranes pressed for the elusive goal.
The other perplexing decision was sticking with Joseph Ochaya on the left, one of the players who underwent special training alongside Aucho, Yassar Mugerwa and Murushid Jjuko owing to their club inactivity.
The final act, greeted with shock by the majority of the almost full house was the withdrawal of Ochaya who was replaced by Patrick Kaddu, a player supposed to benefit from his crossing ability.
The latter was also surprisingly chosen ahead of his former teammate in Derrick Nsibambi.
In the end the Cranes resorted to the hopeful long punts forward that Desabre also admitted showed desperation.
