Uganda Cranes will shift their attention to their upcoming friendly against The Gambia on July 9 in Morocco, following a challenging 3-0 defeat to Cameroon in Marrakech on Friday.
Although the scoreline favored the Indomitable Lions, head coach Paul Put saw positives in his side’s display, describing the match as a valuable learning experience.
Uganda, ranked 89th by FIFA, were tested against a Cameroon side placed 50th in the global standings, and the match highlighted tactical and positional gaps Put aims to address ahead of the next fixture.
Cameroon struck through Flavien Boyomo, Jean Batoum, and Patrick Soko, capitalizing on Uganda’s vulnerability on set pieces. The Cranes conceded two goals from dead-ball situations and another from open play despite efforts to reorganize after the break.
Put used the friendly to rotate his squad and assess depth. Young attackers Travis Mutyaba and Patrick Jonah Kakande injected energy in the second half, while goalkeeper Isima Watenga and forward Muhammed Shaban were among those given international minutes.
With the next test against The Gambia on the horizon, Uganda is expected to fine-tune both defensive structure and attacking sharpness in the coming training sessions.
The Gambia, currently ranked 117th by FIFA, will present a different but equally vital challenge for the Cranes as they continue preparations for future competitive fixtures.