Uganda Cranes needed two second half goals to overcome a resilient Botswana side and register an opening day win in the 2017 AFCON qualifiers.
Geoffrey Massa and Brian Umony got to the end of Luwagga Kizito’s deliveries to send the crowds into frenzy but what lessons did we pick from the fixture?
Kawowo Sports’ Ismael Kiyonga highlights the top five lessons.
Uganda Cranes doesn’t disappoint at home openers:
Excluding preliminaries, trust Uganda Cranes at home on the opening day of the qualifiers, they won’t disappoint.
Since the introduction of the round robin in 1992, the Cranes have now won eight in eight since then including games against giants Algeria, Ghana, DR Congo and Angola among others.
Numbers don’t lie; Massa is Uganda’s best goal grabber:
No Ugandan striker divides opinions amongst Ugandans as Geoffrey Massa. He gets the most criticism on bad days but trust the Bloemfontein Celtics man, he will still deliver.
With 12 goals in qualifying campaigns, Massa is now Uganda’s all time goal scorer in the competitions (AFCON & World Cup qualifiers).
And all his goals have come at Namboole. Since scoring a brace against Lesotho on his qualifiers’ debut, the number 11 continues to let the goals do the speaking. Not even the great Magid Musisi or Hassan Mubiru comes close.
Where does Walusimbi future lie on the Cranes?
On Saturday, Godfrey Walusimbi was fielded as a midfielder; a position he plays at Gor Mahia but what was surprising is that Brian Majwega – whose natural position isn’t left back was preferred ahead of the K’Ogalo man.
True, in professional football, a player can be played anywhere on the pitch but we all know where Walusimbi plays better since taking over from the great Nestroy Kizito.
In addition, another natural left back in Alex Kakuba was on the bench. Is this a signal to ‘Jjajja Walu’ that his position on the team is under threat? Your guess is as good as mine.
Style doesn’t matter, its victory at all cost
In the aftermath of the game, Cranes Coach Mulitin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic described the team’s performance as one of the best.
“We took care of the opponent in every aspect and I guess this is one of the best performances from the Cranes,” he told the media.
Was Micho watching another game or what? Forget the score line, the Cranes performance on the day was average but again, it has been all this since the ex-Amavubi man took over.
In fact Uganda’s best performance under Micho came in the 1-1 away draw in Kumasi against Ghana.
Luwagga can be Uganda’s creative midfield solution
He arrived on the eve of the game but the Rio Ave midfielder didn’t disappoint creating two goals that won Uganda the game.
From the start, Luwagga looked the difference in the middle and his two well weighed deliveries for Massa and Umony spoke volumes.
Is he finally the creative spark in the middle that Uganda has been lacking since the demise of Assan Bajope, Hakim Magumba and Jamil Kyambadde off the scene? Time will tell.
