Cranes of Uganda head coach Paul Put has acknowledged the difficulty of his team’s AFCON group but insists they must believe in their ability as they prepare to face Nigeria, Tunisia, and Tanzania in the group stage.
The Belgian tactician admitted that taking on last year’s finalists, Nigeria, and a consistently strong Tunisian side will be a tough challenge.
However, he emphasized that Uganda must see it as an opportunity to prove themselves, with hard work and preparation starting immediately.
“There are no easy games in Africa. We are going to face Nigeria, the last edition’s finalists, and Tunisia, a team that consistently reaches the latter stages of this tournament,” Put said after the draw ceremony in Rabat, Morocco.
“Tanzania adds the derby element, which is always intense. However, we must believe in ourselves.”
Uganda has history on its side, having defeated Nigeria 2-1 in their only AFCON meeting back in 1978. But Put knows his side will need more than just history to advance from the group.
The Cranes will begin their AFCON campaign against Tunisia on Monday, December 23, before taking on East African rivals Tanzania in a highly anticipated derby. They will then wrap up their group-stage matches against Nigeria on Tuesday, December 30, in Fez.
