Uganda Cranes naked in Cairo

From the moment Neves Santos Pepo’s direct corner curled past a bewildered Ismail Watenga just three minutes in, it was evident that Uganda is yet to replace Denis Onyango’s safe hands since his retirement in 2021.

Pepo, the Caldas forward born in Portugal, capitalized again in the 16th minute when Watenga, the chief culprit of the night, fumbled the ball into his path, allowing him to complete a brace with consummate ease.

Even Muhammad Shaban’s temporary equalizer - a glancing header off an Allan Okello free-kick on seven minutes - felt more like an accidental reprieve than a well-orchestrated response, as Mozambique bossed the game with superior structure and intent.

Not good enough

By the time Stanley Ratifo punished yet another defensive lapse - this time Bevis Mugabi looking painfully pedestrian - it was painfully clear that Put’s men were out of their depth.

Cranes lacked a playing identity, a tactical blueprint, or even the basic homework on Mozambique’s approach, a stark contrast to the well-drilled Mambas, who now top Group G with 12 points, while Uganda languishes second from bottom with just six.

With a crucial fixture against Guinea at Namboole looming on Tuesday, urgent solutions are needed.

All to blame

But if Watenga’s disastrous outing and the negligible impact of his replacement, Nafian Alionzi, are anything to go by, the Cranes' goalkeeping crisis remains just one of many leaks sinking Put’s faltering ship.

Put’s attempted midfield double pivot of Khalid Aucho and Tunisia-based Kenneth Ssemakula was a catastrophe, failing miserably to bridge the gap between defence and attack.

The supposed creative link with the duo of Allan Okello and Jude Ssemugabi never materialized, leaving the Cranes disjointed and directionless.

When SC Villa skipper Ronald Ssekiganda was introduced, it was merely to make up numbers following Denis Omedi’s red card - an expulsion that summed up his anonymous and regrettable contribution.

Much like the dysfunctional chemistry between Bevis Mugabi and Elio Capradossi at the heart of defence, the midfield trio of Aucho, Ssemakula, and Okello was a tactical miscalculation against a Mozambique side that, while not overtly dominant, executed their coach’s blueprint to near perfection.

Limited service

Truth be told, Shaban was left stranded up front, his tireless work ethic and aggressive runs wasted in a system that offered him no service and no support.

Put’s attacking strategy - or lack thereof - was glaringly evident, exposing a major flaw that demands immediate attention ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Guinea at Namboole.

Ugandan fans, still seething over the Cranes’ insipid and gutless display against South Africa in their last home fixture, are in no mood for another embarrassment.

Put is now racing against time to salvage his reputation, despite having secured Afcon qualification with two games to spare.

Egg on the face

Beyond Put’s struggles, Fufa also finds itself under scrutiny, as Uganda’s haphazard and disjointed World Cup preparations raise serious questions about the governing body’s commitment to its own high-minded development rhetoric.

If this is what global football’s custodians consider a roadmap for progress, then Uganda’s current predicament is a glaring indictment of the system as much as it is of the Cranes themselves.