TOTAL AFCON 2019 Qualifiers: Desabre, Onyango promise spirited display against Lesotho

Uganda Cranes head coach Sebastien Desabre and the team captain Denis Onyango have promised a spirited showing against visiting Lesotho in the first leg of the 2019 AFCON qualifiers (group L).

The French born tactician and the Mamelodi Sundowns first choice goalkeeper were flanked by the FUFA Communications manager Ahmed Hussein as they engaged the media in an interactive press conference at the Mandela National Stadium boardroom on Friday morning.

Desabre noted that the players have the right frame physically and mentally with the best confidence levels and urged the fans to support the team just like it was the case against Tanzania in the last game at Namboole.

Onyango too, like the coach promised a spirited fighting from the first to the closing whistle.

The Uganda Cranes will don the newly designed new jersey for the first time during the Saturday game.

This game against Lesotho is an important one for qualification for Uganda Cranes to the Africa Cup of Nations.  The team is in good spirits. I have spoken to players and they understand the importance of this game. We have improved upon the level of confidence for the players. The three points will be crucial for the home fans and country as well. It is important to play good football as well. I am happy with the camp. We are ready. The win against Lesotho will be important to give confidence to the team in the ten months I have been in charge. We shall give 200 percent to the team. I urge the fans to support the team like they did against Tanzania. We need to qualify for AFCON as a unit.

Denis Onyango (Team captain, Uganda Cranes):

We are ready to try our best in the game. Lesotho is not a small team. In football there is no small team.  They have not lost any game in the campaign.We want to go to Maseru with positive results. Everyone is ready. With the support of the nation (fans and media), we need to lift the team. There are no injuries at the moment in the camp. Everyone is in shape and we shall give our best. The advantage is that we are at home, we have to play our hearts out during the first leg. It is one game at a time. We believe we shall it to the next stage.