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Put eyes fifth Afcon finals
Skipper Khalid Aucho (R) attempts to evade Steven Mukwala (C) during a training session. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
Conversations from both camps suggest a solid determination to make the two team’s opening match of their Afcon 2025 qualifying campaign count, with both managers digging in on their supposed strong areas
Uganda Cranes coach Paul Put is reported to be loving what he is seeing, so far, after some training sessions at the Balfor Football Club’s Ground in Johannesburg.
The Cranes are doing final touches ahead of tomorrow’s opening match of their 2025 Afcon qualifiers, where they face South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at Orlando Stadium.
“The energy, teamwork and the positive spirit,” said the Belgian coach, “these will be very crucial in this fight.”
The fight Put is talking about is the return to Africa Cup of Nations finals after missing the last two editions in Cameroon and Ivory Coast.
Uganda must finish among the two in Group K - which comprises themselves, top seed and last edition’s semifinalists South Africa, Congo and immediate neighbours South Sudan - to return to football’s table of men.
Experience, determination
Put is counting on both his own experience and the determination of his players to secure that flight to Morocco for the finals tournament that will be held in December 2025 through January 2026.
“I have been to five Afcon finals and I want to add to that number with this team,” the 68-year-old laid a marker for his players' confidence and trust.
“You are a group of young and undoubtedly very talented players. You have what it takes to qualify but you need to work hard for it because it will not be given to you just like that.
“You will have to fight for the right to be in Morocco next year and the fight starts this Friday against South Africa.”
Put finally has his full squad of both the local contingent and foreign-based professionals after they arrived in Johannesburg in batches from their different bases.
Stand-in Bafana captain
The five full days in South Africa were meant to help the team, who are accommodated at Radisson Red Hotel in Rosebank, acclimatise to the cold weather in Johannesburg.
Elsewhere, South Africa coach Hugo Broos has named Mamelodi Sundowns attacker Themba Zwane as captain for this month’s 2025 Afcon qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan.
The decision was forced on Broos by the absence of injured regular skipper and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Zwane, 35, has gone from being an outcast to a key member of Broos team after the Belgian coach initially said he felt Zwane was too old to be part of the Bafana squad. He was later back-track on his statement.
“It is, maybe, the only big mistake I have made since I have been here, but there was a reason,” Broos explained in January.
“I saw he was a good player, but it is in the past and I am a human being and only fools can’t change their minds.”
Push-overs
Broos also underlined the importance of Friday’s match while insisting Uganda must not be underestimated.
“I think it is very important when you play qualifiers to have a good start,” said the experienced Belgian.
He added, rather firmly: “And a good start is six points out of six, I will not be happy if we do not get six (points) …. we have the quality and the confidence, but that does not mean we will underestimate our opponents.”
The last time South Africa and Uganda faced off in a major qualifying campaign was in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.
Then, Bafana Bafana beat the Cranes 1-0 in Kampala and 2-1 in Johannesburg.
