Uganda’s head coach, Paul Put has expressed immense pride in his team’s performance following their 1-0 victory over Guinea in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
Reflecting on the match, the coach stated that the win was a testament to the Cranes’ resilience and tactical discipline.
“We deserved to win; we played well from the first minute and had many chances to score more goals in the first half. I am proud of the team.” Paul Put said during the post-match interview.
He highlighted the team’s aggressive start and the numerous opportunities created, emphasizing that the scoreline could have been more favourable.
Coming into the clash, the coach made strategic changes to the lineup following a 3-1 loss to Mozambique.
Goalkeeper Nafian Alionzi was introduced and made crucial saves, particularly in the closing minutes, to preserve the lead.
Midfield adjustments saw Ronald Ssekiganda providing stability in place of the injured Khalid Aucho, while the inclusion of Rogers Mato and Travis Mutyaba added pace to the attack.
Defensively, Italy-born Elio Capradossi captained the side for the first time, partnering with Bevis Mugabi to neutralize Guinea’s striker Serhou Guirassy.
Addressing the previous defeat, Put remarked, “We didn’t perform badly in Mozambique, but situations like the simple goals we conceded and the red card cost us. The boys knew what this match meant, and I am happy they put up a fight and got the positive results.”
This acknowledgement of past mistakes and the subsequent corrective measures were pivotal in securing the win against Guinea.
The victory temporarily propelled Uganda to third place in Group G with nine points, before they were displaced to fourth after Botswana’s 2-0 win over Somalia.
Uganda now sit six points behind leaders Algeria, who also registered a dominant 5-1 win over Mozambique.
However, the Cranes’ World Cup qualification hopes are still intact as they prepare to host Mozambique and Somalia in September.
