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Despite the poor results, Byekwaso says that the team has noted some areas that can be worked on ahead of November's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Uganda Cranes' interim head coach has said that the team has picked vital lessons from their 3-0 loss to Zambia, the international friendly played on Tuesday night in Dubai.
Uganda lost miserably in the 3-0 drubbing just days after another 1-0 defeat in Mali.
Despite the poor results, Byekwaso says that the team has noted some areas that can be worked on ahead of November's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
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06:31 - 17.10.2023
FOOTBALL Zambia using Uganda Cranes friendly to patch up gaps ahead of World Cup qualifiers, AFCON 2023 – Captain
The two sides come into the game at the back of identical 1-0 losses, Zambia to Egypt and Uganda to Mali, and hoping for an improved show.
“There a lot of things to learn, which I think the players have picked,” Byekwaso says.
He outlines one area: “From the way the Zambians play and the confidence in the three departments - defence, midfield and striking-, how they build from the back through the middle to the final third, I think it’s something we can pick going into the World Cup qualifiers
Cheap goals
Leicester City’s striker Patson Daka unlocked the game inside six minutes from the penalty spot after Ugandan left-back Aziz Kayondo fouled in the area.
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16:14 - 16.10.2023
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His attacking partner, Fashion Sakala, headed the Chipolopolo ahead in the 63rd minute, beating five Ugandan shirts to head in Zephaniah Phiri’s cross from the right after a strong build-up.
Phiri used the same script to set up Daka for his second goal and Zambia’s third four minutes later.
The midfielder started a quick freekick deep in the right wing after a sloppy foul by Musa Ramadhan and exchanged quick passes with Edward Chilufya before slotting in a cross.
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02:53 - 18.10.2023
FOOTBALL The 33 Uganda Premier League players playing for Big League under the double-licensing
According to the competition’s rules, every topflight club was supposed to sign a double-licensed player in their ranks for every five players they registered.
Daka, just like Sakala earlier on, ran through to beat five yellow shirts and Joel Mutakubwa to nod in the third.
Unfit players
Among the lessons learnt, Byekwaso mentioned that the team needs to learn players who are playing regularly for their clubs.
The coach noted that the Uganda Cranes players waned as the game aged, unlike the Zambians.
“We need to have players who have mileage; players who are playing in their club. For instance, you saw how the game progressed up to the end [it showed] that we really lacked that stability, which is a very important picture we shall carry into our next game,” he summed it up.
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07:09 - 12.10.2023
FOOTBALL REVEALED: the 'two local' coaches who applied for the Uganda Cranes job
FUFA opened up the applications for persons interested in coaching the Uganda Cranes on September 16th, two days after parting ways with Serbian tactician Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic.
Focus will now shift to the appointment of the new head coach as Uganda Cranes prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers against Guinea and Somalia.
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