Work cut out for McKinstry
The power outage at Stade de la Réunification that initially had Uganda’s opening fixture against Rwanda hanging in balance is in many respects a metaphor for the Cranes’ poor Chan form.
The lights always seem to go out on Uganda at the continental showpiece that shuts out expatriate players. The reason for this is easy to fathom out.
Monday night’s scoreless draw in the Cameroonian port city of Douala gives the measure of Uganda’s deficiencies.
A scant supply of goals - eight across 12 matches - caused the red mist to descend on the Cranes in past stagings of the tournament. It was 13th time unlucky at Stade de la Réunification after yet another listless display saw Uganda draw a blank.
No ordinary collection
With the storied past of the likes of Tonny Mawejje and Denis Iguma, the unit that Johnny McKinstry has at his disposal in Cameroon is far from being your ordinary collection of striplings.
The Northern Irishman is clearly aware of the great harm a blunt attack has visited upon Uganda in previous Chan editions. The decision to play with two playmakers (Bright Anukani and Shafik Kagimu) was doubtless tailored to providing a fluid front three of Milton Karisa, Viane Ssekajugo and Joackiam Ojera a bountiful supply of chances.
In the end, though, the Cranes only mustered a paltry two shots on target. The performance was hardly what Cranes fans expected and worse than they could have imagined.
