Overview:
Having spent more than a decade playing in the South African Premier Soccer League, the ex-national team captain knows a thing or two about how football is played in the region and has highlighted key areas to his teammates.
Denis Onyango says the Uganda Cranes are motivated by the previous performance and results ahead of the clash with Botswana in the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
The Cranes take on the Zebras on Thursday October 9 aiming to win and keep maiden world cup qualification chances alive.
“The motivation from the team of course is good because it has been doing well, two clean sheets from last two games at home. And we can also get results here,” said Onyango who was on the team as Uganda beat the hosts in the 2017 Afcon qualifiers under Micho.
“Very difficult team to play against here in Botswana but years back, we played here and got results which is possible.
“So, the boys must just know it is possible to get results away from home and we must fight because they are a very good playing team. We need to share the experience from me, Aucho and a couple of guys who have been here a couple of times and I believe it is possible to get results.”
Having spent more than a decade playing in the South African Premier Soccer League, the ex-national team captain knows a thing or two about how football is played in the region and has highlighted key areas to his teammates.
“The southern part plays the same type of football, very good quick passing football and they are quick off the mark and we just need to manage the transitions, the counter attack football because they are good on the counter attack and we will be good to go.
“In terms of set pieces, they have the height and have scored a couple of goals through set pieces but we also have some players with the height and if we manage that and the counter attack, then we will be able to get the results away from home.”
Uganda are second in group G, four points adrift of leaders Algeria who play away to Somalia but on same points with third placed Mozambique.
If they fail to top the group, the target will be to finish second and hopefully be in the best four second placed ranked teams to play in a play-off from which the winner will vie for a spot through an intercontinental play off in March next year.
