The next games are like Cup finals - Massa

Uganda Cranes Captain Geoffery Massa says they are going to play the remaining two group games in the 2017 Total Africa Cup of Nations as cup finals after losing the opening game against Ghana in Port Gentil on Tuesday.
Massa who says they played well as team, admits that there is no room for error against the Pharaohs of Egypt on Saturday in Port Gentil and against Mali in Oyem next week, “We have two games remaining and we gonna play them as cup finals, we have to do everything to get the six points we need to qualify”, he said after the game.

The South Africa based striker refused to single out any player for blame although he admits that the manner in which they conceded could have been easily avoided, “That’s football, there is no way we are going to point fingers at each other, we just have to continue playing as a team and work harder to get maximum points from the two games”, Massa said.
Isaac Isinde was penalized for a foul on Asamoah Gyan in the box and Andre Ayew converted from the spot to give Ghana all the three points.

Massa who has come under scrutiny recently because of his ongoing goal drought refused to reflect on his individual performance but rather on the team saying they played well as a unit but emphasized the need to work harder to get six points from the remaining two games.
Meanhwile Massa’s striking partner in the second half Muhammad Shaban expressed disappointment with his individual contribution in the game but promised a better performance in the two games if given another chance by the coach, “I feel bad that I couldn’t make it but I promise next time I will make it’, the Onduparaka youngster said.

Shaban who came on as a substitute also pointed to the second half performance against Ghana as a source of hope for the players going into the last two group games, “ In the second half we got a lot of chances and I hope we can go with the second half system in the game against Egypt”,he said.
In the second half Micho used three strikers-Shaban,Massa and Geoffrey Sserunkuma with support from Moses Oloya and Farouk Miya, it remains to be seen if Micho will take that second half approach into the Egypt game as Shaban suggests.
After one round of group matches Uganda is bottom of the group, a point behind Mali and Egypt, and two points behind the leaders Ghana.