CHAN: Uganda’s Byekwaso rues missed chances in Senegal defeat

Uganda coach Morley Byekwaso admitted the pain of missed chances contributed to their exit from the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) after losing 1-0 to defending champions Senegal in the quarterfinals clash at Nelson Mandela Stadium on Saturday.

The Lions of Teranga moved a step closer to retaining their crown after Oumar Ba struck the decisive goal just after the hour mark to silence a passionate home crowd of over 35,000. The defeat by Senegal meant all the three hosting East African nations had gone out of the CHAN.

Kenya were the first to go out following a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat against Madagascar after a 1-1 draw in normal and added time, while Tanzania suffered a 1-0 defeat against Morocco in the laser eight contest.

“We lost this game today. Thank God we gave our best. In such a difficult match, we missed some opportunities, and that cost us dearly. The Senegal champion didn’t rely only on talent; they had the experience to handle this game,” said Byekwaso as quoted by CAFOnline.com.

“The system is built around the players. We tried to bring Inos to help, but unfortunately we failed and conceded chances. That is why we are out of the tournament.”

The Cranes, who had made history by reaching the knockout stages of CHAN for the first time, gave everything in front of their fans but could not find the finishing touch.