No better chance to mature from boys to men than against Algeria, Micho urges Uganda Cranes' youngsters

Youngsters Richard Basangwa and Rogers mato rise to head the ball in a previous game.

AFCON 2023 No better chance to mature from boys to men than against Algeria, Micho urges Uganda Cranes' youngsters

Fred Mwambu • 11:46 - 15.06.2023

Uganda Cranes must win their AFCON Qualifier against Algeria to stand a chance over Tanzania and Niger.

MilutinMicho’ Sredojevic feels that the centre referee was too harsh to award DR Congo a penalty as his Uganda Cranes team lost 1-0 in an international friendly on Wednesday in Douala, Cameroon.

Micho was left a distraught man when the team’s senior strikers Emmanuel Okwi and Milton Karisa failed to score clear-cut chances in a preparatory match against DR Congo on Wednesday.

The coach, who has been under fire recently, is now hinging his hopes on the youngsters.

“we’re a team in transition with so many young players,” Micho reminded the critics.

Opportunity

The team currently sits in third place in Group F with six points, the same as Tanzania, who will host Niger in Dar Es Salaam on the same day.

Uganda Cranes will need to perform better than their previous Wednesday match if they want to achieve positive results.

The coach sees this as an opportunity to motivate the players to rise to the occasion. “The young players have the greatest chance to become (read mature) from boys to men with support from some senior players so that together we cross that line and qualify for the AFCON,” he urged the players.

Among the youngsters expected to play a big role in the game includes Under-20 captain Isma Mugulusi, midfielder Bobosi Byaruhanga, defender Aziz Kayondo and Rogers Mato.

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