Uganda coach Paul Put praises brave win over Guinea as World Cup hopes stay alive

CAF

27-03-2025

Uganda head coach Paul Put has praised his team for their spirited performance following their 1-0 victory over Guinea at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, a result that has kept their FIFA World Cup qualification hopes alive.
The crucial win, which came courtesy of a 36th-minute strike by striker Allan Okello, sees the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2027 co-hosts rise to fourth place in Group G, behind Botswana, Mozambique, and Algeria.
Speaking after the match, Put expressed his satisfaction with the team's display, stating that the victory was well-deserved. He noted that Uganda could have extended their lead further, pointing out several missed chances in the first half that could have made the scoreline more comfortable.
"We deserved to win, we played well from the first minute and had many chances to score more goals in the first half. I am proud of the team," Put said, reflecting on the hard-fought encounter.
The win was a much-needed boost after Uganda's recent setback against Mozambique, where a series of unfortunate events, including conceding simple goals and a red card, had cost them valuable points in their 3-1 loss. Despite the challenges, Put was quick to highlight that his side did not perform poorly in Mozambique, especially after being reduced to 10 men.
"We didn't perform badly in Mozambique, but the situations like the simple goals we conceded, and the red card cost us. Generally, we didn't have a bad game, especially when we were reduced to ten men. The boys knew what this match meant, and I am happy they put up a fight and got the positive result," he explained.
One player who particularly caught Put's attention was Travis Mutyaba, who has not had consistent playing time at his Norwegian club FK Bodø/Glimt but was impressive during the win over Guinea. Put expressed belief in the young player's potential, stating, "Travis Mutyaba doesn't get the deserved playing time at Bodo, but if he gets them, he can be a mainstay in the team."
The Uganda Cranes are now six points behind table leaders, Algeria with four more matches to go.