Uganda’s women’s national football team, the Crested Cranes, delivered a stellar performance, claiming a 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in a friendly match at Stade des Martyrs on Sunday. The team’s resilience and tactical preparation, under the leadership of Head Coach Sheryl Ulanda Botes, were on full display, giving Ugandan fans reasons to celebrate and look forward to the team’s continued growth.
The match kicked off with Uganda demonstrating great intensity, with star forward Fazila Ikwaput striking early in the 22nd minute. Her goal gave the Crested Cranes an early lead and set the tone for a hard-fought encounter. DR Congo pushed back, eager to level the score, but Uganda’s tactical discipline kept them in control of the game.
As the first half progressed, the Ugandan team held firm, showcasing strong cohesion and a structured approach. Both teams exhibited physicality and speed, but DR Congo’s counter-attacks were met by Uganda’s resolute defense. The first half ended with Uganda leading 1-0, but DR Congo came back with renewed intensity in the second half.
In the 61st minute, DR Congo’s determination paid off as they equalized thanks to Flavine Mawete’s strike, bringing the score to 1-1 and energizing the crowd. However, Uganda was not done yet. Coach Botes made a strategic substitution, bringing on Sylvia Kabene, who immediately impacted the game. In the 77th minute, Kabene found the back of the net, regaining Uganda’s lead and ultimately securing the win.
Following the match, Coach Sheryl Ulanda Botes expressed her pride in the team’s performance.
“We knew that if I looked at when DR Congo played Senegal, we could see that the team possessed a lot of physicality. They had a lot of speed in the wings and up front. We also knew that the midfield was very compact, and we had to find a way to maintain the Congolese, and I must say I’m very happy that we could manage to do that and go a step further to win the match today.”
Botes emphasized that the team is currently in a rebuilding phase, looking ahead to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) scheduled for July next year.
“I think everybody knows that we are in a rebuilding phase,” she explained. “We know WAFCON is in July next year, so we need to start building and find a cohesion in the team, and friendly matches really allow you to experiment, especially local and international players.”
Despite limited preparation time, Botes and her team remained focused.
“We had four days to prepare the team, and our international players really joined us two days before we arrived here, so it was really, really difficult,” she said. “But I think going forward, I really want us to play a certain way, offensively as well as defensively. So for the four days that I had, I used extensively and consistently to work on certain phases of play so that the information can be processed.”
Her strategic approach centers on consistency, with a clear focus on refining Uganda’s style of play.
“I’m demanding that we play a certain way,” she asserted. “We will play the next game, we will play the same way. We will not change. Really, it’s a process to change the way we play football in Uganda, and I think the girls have bought into the idea.”
Despite the challenges, the team remains dedicated to adopting Coach Botes’ vision.
“They’re comfortable. You can see that we’re trying to pull the ball up from the back, consistently,” she explained. “Yes, mistakes will happen at certain moments of the match. These things I know for a fact will happen, but it is a process, and we’re looking forward. So all the mistakes that happened now, I knew plenty would happen.”
In her remarks, Botes acknowledged the learning curve but expressed confidence in the team’s future.
“But we need to start finding solutions and we will look at this match again. We will focus on, really on good video analysis so that we can make sure that there’s been cohesion and a bit of compactness in the way that we want to play from a defensive point of view.”
Overall, Botes was pleased with the team’s performance, particularly their focus on maintaining possession.
“But overall, I think it was really a good display, especially the way the girls played,” she praised. “And for me, it’s all about possession and keeping possession the way we try to minimize it as much as we can.”
The Crested Cranes will face DR Congo again in a rematch scheduled for Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 3:30 PM DR Congo time (5:30 PM EAT). This encounter will provide another opportunity for Coach Botes and her team to continue building cohesion and refining their style, keeping WAFCON preparation firmly in focus.
As the Crested Cranes embark on their journey toward WAFCON and beyond, their performance against DR Congo highlights the steady progress they are making under Coach Botes’ leadership. Ugandan fans can take pride in the team’s determination, resilience, and commitment to building a style that showcases the best of Ugandan women’s football.
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