Memories of Uganda Cranes players gallantly and passionately featuring at the 2017 AFCON keep flowing every other second that passes.
Uganda’s representatives at the biggest football championship on the continent ran down to close spaces, dribbled successfully, cleared the ball out of danger so often, crossed and shot at the opposition goal.
Repeatedly, this was the norm against Ghana Black Stars and the Egypt Pharaohs.
There is a lot to tell and many story lines at AFCON 2017 will definitely never be erased from my memory.
Uganda Cranes first two Group D matches were held at Stade De Port Gentil (Blanc) against Ghana and Egypt.
Incidentally, the end result was the 1-0 loss in either games.
Against Ghana, Uganda fell to Andre Ayew’s first half penalty before staging a brave show in the second stanza.
The match against Egypt remains the most tactical.
Lots of spaces were closed, Uganda posed a threat too, had a goal disallowed for offside but succumbed to a late – late goal from Abdallah El-Said, barely three minutes to the final whistle.
Head coach, Micho cast the blame game once again to inexperience at the biggest stage.
“It was one moment and they prevailed. We gave our best, but it was not enough,” Micho told the media at the post match press conference.
The players surely gave their best on the sandy Port Gentil playing turf. We did not deserve to be on the losing end for sure.
The panting players, technical bench and the handful of Ugandans in the terraces were left heart broken.
Many cried and hundreds of millions following the match on TV and online were also left crest fallen.
A 25 domestic minute flight from Port Gentil to Libreville seemed like 2 hours.
Personally, I was disappointed but only comforted by African football legend, Patrick Mboma who assured me that it is the nature of the game.
There are lots of positives we have learnt from this experience.
Uganda surely will be an improved entity come the upcoming CHAN 2018 qualifiers, 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and AFCON 2019 qualifiers.
From the technical wing, players themselves, media, fans, corporate entities, there is a big lesson or two that has been learnt.
Mujje Tulumbe.
