McKinstry takes responsibility for Uganda loss

by Graeme Jackson

Wednesday Nov 18, 2020. 12:00

Uganda coach Jonathan McKinstry has taken full responsibility for his side’s poor performance in losing 1-0 to South Sudan in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier earlier this week.

The Cranes, having beaten South Sudan 1-0 at home last Thursday, were unable to complete a double and saw Ugandan-born striker Tito Okello net from the penalty spot to give the Bright Stars their first points in Group C.

“Ultimately we were not good enough and as a coach, I take full responsibility,” McKinstry told Goal.

“We planned for the game, we trained, players did their best and the coaching staff did their best to come up with the game plan.

“But I am sad for them [that we lost the game] and we have to go back and see what we have to do to give players what they need to perform [in the next game].”

Uganda’s coach explained that Khalid Aucho’s red card had a major impact, forcing them to move away from their preferred approach.

“It is hard to talk about tactics because when you go down to 10 men too early on, it makes it tough,” McKinstry continued.

“Even before the red card we did not move the ball fast enough and that was the key point.

“After the red card, we had to change things around and you noticed in the second half we went three at the back which is something Uganda have not really played [before], but I think the boys did everything they could.

“We hit the crossbar, had another two chances but we did not score. I am responsible for what the players do, I know they work hard to put on the show that people want but we fell short.”

The result left Uganda in second place on the Group C standings, one point behind leaders Burkina Faso and three ahead of third-placed Malawi. South Sudan complete the quartet with three points.

The Cranes will finish their qualification campaign with matches at home to the Burkinabe and away to Mali in March 2021. The top two teams in each group qualify for the AFCON in Cameroon.