Uganda U-20 national football team (Hippos) head coach Laryea Kingston has had a significant impact on the junior teams since he was appointed.
Kingston is also in charge of the U-17 national team (Cubs) as the country establishes firm roots in the youth set-up.
The Ghanaian is educating a new culture of football that the youngsters should adapt and grow with.
Now with the U-20 team at the ongoing CECAFA U-20 championships, Kingston and the charges topped Group B with the maximum six points following back-to-back victories over Djibouti and Sudan; 4-1 and 1-0 respectively.
After the narrow 1-0 victory over Sudan, Kingston testified that his team does not change the style of play, regardless the conditions at hand.
“We do not change the way we play. That is our DNA, we stick to it always. We encouraged our players to keep going,” Kingston confessed after the win over Sudan at the Uhuru stadium.
Kingston works with Bashir Ssemuyaba as assistant, Stephen Billy Kiggundu as goalkeeping trainer and Denis Kizito as trainer.
On breaking the Berlin wall for Sudan
The Sudan team deployed a stiff low block with virtually every player behind the back; and occasional counter-attacks.
Uganda had to change the strategy but with the same philosophy at hand.
“The Sudanese have a lot of experienced players. They are well matured. You could see from the way they played, very tough. They came with a game plan of sitting back to frustrate us especially in the first half. We got better in the second half because during the opening half, we were moving the ball too slow. Against a team that is parking the bus, it is always very difficult to break them,” he outlined.
Second half changes
The technical team made several stand-out changes in the second half.
At the start of the final stanza, he introduced Steven Oyirwoth for Yashir Mimosa.
He then executed a double change in the 67th minute when Amour Munogera came on for Genesis Ocen Odiya and Joseph Ssendyowa for skipper Richard Okello.
Simon Wanyama and Ashraf Kyakuwa were two changes for Derrick Ssozi and play-maker Isma Mulala Magala.
To Kingston, he has built one solid team always ready to compete at any given time.
“I have a strong team. It does not matter who starts or who is on the bench. It is one solid team. We play according to our philosophy, each and every person who gets to the field knows the philosophy and what to do at the right time,” he spoke of the team.
Uganda finished top of Group B with six points following their 4-1 victory over Djibouti in the opener.
The Hippos will square up against Sudan again in the semi-finals as the two countries not only battle for a slot for the final, but also a continental berth for AFCON U-20 in Ghana.
Sudan was the best second placed country among the three groups.
Hosts Tanzania (who topped Group A) will now square up against Burundi.
Tanzania walloped Ethiopia 4-0 during the flood-lit game.
Burundi led Group C with the maximum points.
All the matches for the CECAFA U-20 have been played at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
