Yasser Kalyango
25 June 2008
Great results do surely come on the back of good preparations and teamwork.On Monday, The Cranes put up a scintillating performance to secure one of the best away results in almost a decade as they held their nerves firm to snatch a vital point from the Palancas Negras in a tension packed encounter at the 8,000 seater Conqueiros Stadium.
However, this didn't miraculously happen. The Cranes coach Laszlo Csaba had his tactics spot on and on the eve of the match day, he sat down all the key players when he was selecting the team to start against Angola. He particularly summoned skipper Ibra Sekagya, Timothy Batabaire, Andy Mwesigwa and Denis Onyango to layout a strategy that would yield the best result.
Csaba tabled two options; one having Abubaker Tabula and Dan Wagaluka starting on the flanks and the other with Simeon Masaba starting on the left flank and David Obua playing on the left side of the pitch. However, the coach agreed with the players' decision of having a more defensive approach of Masaba starting ahead of Wagaluka and the rest remaining like how it was in Kampala a week ago.
"It's very good that the coach involves us in team selection, we do not decide the final line-up but we at least give our views and that's a great step in the right direction," said Sekagya. Csaba was a relieved man at the end of the game but refused to discuss the destiny of the team saying that the result against Niger in September will be key in determining Uganda's fate.
Superb defence
The match day tactics that were agreed on by Csaba, his assistants and the senior players mainly favoured The Cranes back four that frustrated Angola's attackers Flavio Amado, Andre Macanga and Ze Kalanga.
Sekagya, who was outstanding in his role, commended the entire team, especially his defensive partners for the spirited fight. "Basically we had a great game but the defenders stood out even with Flavio's insults and I salute them," Sekagya said.
Uganda is now tied on seven points with Angola in Group C and has to record victories over Niger away and Benin in Kampala. The Cranes are scheduled to return home tomorrow afternoon.
P W D L F A Pts
Benin 4 3 0 1 8 4 9
Angola 4 2 1 1 6 4 7
Uganda 4 2 1 1 5 5 7
Niger 4 0 0 4 1 7 0
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