CHAN 2024: Uganda Head Coach Summoned to State House After Algeria Thrashing
- The Uganda Cranes national team head coach, Morley Byekwaso, was called to State House after their defeat to Algeria
- Uganda were taken to the cleaners by the North Africans in a slick display of football on Monday at the Mandela Stadium
- The meeting at State House comes ahead of Uganda's second game against Guinea, where they have been told to produce 'respectable results'
The head coach of Uganda's national football team was reportedly summoned to State House in the wake of their humbling opening defeat at CHAN 2024.
Source: Twitter
Uganda were beaten 3-0 by CHAN 2022 finalists, Algeria, in a one-sided match at the Nelson Mandela Stadium on Monday.
Algeria outclass Uganda
Ayoub Ghezala, Abderrahmane Meziane and Soufiane Bayazid grabbed a goal apiece to send a strong statement of their intentions to go one step better this year.
The result meant that Uganda were the only co-host of the Pamoja tournament who had lost their opening game.
Tanzania began their campaign with a dominant win over Burkina Faso before Kenya beat DR Congo in their first game.
Following the results, sources in Uganda have indicated that Uganda's head coach, Morley Byekwaso, was summoned to the State House to explain the result.
Who is Janet Museveni?
Journalist Clive Kyazze reports that Byekwaso led the delegation that was called to the country's most powerful office by Janet Museveni.
Mama Janet, as she is popularly known, wears many hats in Uganda. She is the wife of long-serving President Yoweri Museveni and therefore the first lady.
She is also the Minister of Sports and Education, which puts the national team squarely in her docket.
In addition to that, she is also the chairperson of the Local Organising Committee of CHAN 2024.
Why was Uganda coach summoned to State House?
Mama Janet is said to have expressed her disappointment to the coach after Uganda's poor show in their first game.
She pointed out that the government had invested so many resources in making sure the tournament was a success.
Similar investments were also made in preparing the team and thus, that result was unacceptable.
Source: Twitter
Mama Janet further demanded that the team should do better in their next game against Guinea on Friday and produce respectable results, or go down fighting.
Fans online have reacted to the news with Bbongole Denis saying,
"High time FIFA bans this federation. Governments are prohibited from interfering in football affairs."
Raymond said,
"Ohhh God. There's really a lot affecting our football team. From the Fufa president making reckless statements, to the head coach being summoned in the middle of a tournament. Is there a more African way of doing things than this? At times, you have to realise you don't .."
W Mugandi said,
"You don't wake up in the morning and you summon the Uganda Cranes coach. You review your whole sports program in this case, football."
When is Uganda's next match?
The two teams will clash at the Mandela Stadium from 8 pm EAT. The game will be preceded by South Africa's first game at the competition against Algeria.
"I prefer not to talk about the past but to focus on what lies ahead. We know it’ll be a difficult game. We need to win to keep our hopes alive,” said Byekwaso ahead of the game as captured on CAF's website.
“Some of our players are still recovering from knocks, but we hope to have everyone available. When you’re humiliated, it’s painful, but that’s part of football. I believe our fans will be with us tomorrow."
Unlike Uganda, Guinea will be looking for their second win at the competition after beating Niger 1-0. Uganda has never qualified from the group stage of the competition, despite qualifying a record number of times.
Why Angola's goal vs Harambee Stars was disallowed
In a separate story, Angola's last-minute goal against Kenya was disallowed after a VAR check.
Angola thought they had won the game right at the end before VAR intervened and chalked off the goal for an offside.
Harambee Stars managed to hold Angola to a one-all draw despite playing with 10 men for 70 minutes.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
