On Saturday, 27th September 2014, Uganda U-17 national team, ‘The Cubs’ will entertain their Zambian counterparts in the CAF 2015 U-17 qualifiers at Nakivubo war memorial stadium.
The Zambians carry a 2 goal advantage from the first leg played at the Unity Stadium in Lusaka two weeks ago.
Sports pundits world over strongly assert, ‘The Best form of defense is attack’ with the basic reasoning the more you raid the opposition rearguard, it will be kept busy with strategies of how to limit the damage than maintain possession with less chances of creating goal scoring chances for themselves.
As the Cubs face the two goal deficit margin, many (including yours truly) will pray the Zambians are denied any go at goal.
Failure to keep a clean sheet will replicate a heavy obvious responsibility of scoring twice on every goal conceded.
I have keenly noticed the task bestowed upon Coach Matia Lule and the entire team how to play to entertain, defend solidly as well as create scoring opportunities.
Since the Seychelles and Rwandese games in the earlier rounds, the Cubs had not been exposed to serious opposition.
Save for the Rwandan return leg, where they conceded two goals, the defence looked intact even on paper even though, one could identify a few aspects that needed urgent arrest.
Discipline, Will power and Confidence:
No Super market or departmental store on planet earth sells confidence at what ever price, but it is one aspect of personality that is developed time over and again.
Each member on this Cubs team needs Confidence at 100 percent.
First Lule and his technical team ought to continue instilling belief, will power and confidence – one aspect where they rate highly.
“These (Uganda Cubs players) fear nobody, they can give you the respect but not on terror factor”, Nimrod Kintu, a youth coach says.
The discipline on and off the ball will be another case worth discussion whose details deserve another independent column.
FUFA lodged an official complaint to CAF doubting the true ages for three (3) Zambians on that team.
This complaint should not confuse the Cubs youngsters; in fact, this should not have been made a public affair.
Young souls tend to get distracted differently. Focus should therefore switch entirely on how to defend and score the goals
Perhaps, since football is played both on grass and inside glassed buildings, there is a case in point embedded there in.
Right Player Combination:
Lule must get the right combination of players to use. For continuity and the right partnership, Kato Samuel Nemeyimana and Bashir Asiku have now developed the team chemistry to play alongside each other.
So are Andrew Okiring and Alex Komakech at the right and left back departments respectively.
My major need for concern is why Qatar based player Hassan Ssenyonjo, arguably the best fighter for ball possession on the team still has to play wide on the right yet he serves better behind the two proven goal poachers in Charles Ssebutinde and the Arua goal machine, Muhammed ‘Jaggason’ Shaban.
Should the basics as good ball control, fast tackling, passing, dribbling and shooting at the appropriate times be perfected, then Zambia is ready to fall in Kampala this Saturday.
