The Uganda Cranes opened their CHAN finals campaign with a 3-0 defeat to North African giants Algeria at the Mandela National Stadium in Namboole.
Algerian Captain Ayoub Ghezala scored at close range in the 36th minute from a corner kick by teammate Abderrahmane Meziane.
Meziane and Bayazid then struck in the 76th and 79th minutes respectively to seal off Algeria’s emphatic victory.
With this result, various Uganda Cranes’ fans shared their thoughts about the match.
“There was that third goal; it summed up the team’s performance. Now, I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses, but Algeria has one of the best leagues in Africa, easily a top-five league. Even the coach admitted we’re in the ‘Group of Death,’ so maybe there are issues with morale and motivation. But at the end of the day, we have to move on to the next game.” Winter Walter Muganzi, Uganda Cranes fan
“To put it simply, the quality of a nation’s CHAN team reflects the strength of its domestic league. If we want to compete at this level, we must prioritize improving our league. We can analyze matches all we want, but real progress starts at the grassroots. Without that foundation, we’ll always be playing catch-up.” Ken Kayiri, Uganda Cranes fan
“Algeria is simply the better side, and that proves their league is far superior to the UPL. Our players gave their best, but Algeria’s quality was just too much.” Allan Oyang, Uganda Cranes fan
“The commentary kept mentioning the clubs these Algerian players represent, well-funded teams competing in the CAF Champions League. The technical gap between them and our players was evident, and it was reflected in the goals. Investment doesn’t lie. If we invest properly in our league, we’ll develop better players for the national team.” Mark Mawanda, Uganda Cranes fan
Uganda Cranes, who are currently bottom of Group C, will play Guinea on Friday, 8th, and Niger on Monday, 11th, with both games kicking off at 8 pm (EAT).
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