Uganda Coach: 'We Gave Tunisia Excessive Respect; A Draw Won't Be Enough Now'

Uganda national team coach Paul Put acknowledged the difficulty of his team's 3-1 defeat to Tunisia, stating that his squad did not approach the match with the required intensity and aggression for a tournament of the Africa Cup of Nations' magnitude.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Paul Put said, "We gave the Tunisian national team excessive respect on the field, and we know very well their strength and excellence in set-pieces." He added, "It's a bad start for us, and I believe we weren't aggressive enough; if you want to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations, you must first win duels and one-on-one battles."

The Uganda coach further explained that his team only managed to impose their style of play for a brief period. "We controlled the game for only 25 minutes, but we spent the rest of the match in a defensive retreat, and this is absolutely not enough in a tournament of the Africa Cup of Nations' stature," he clarified.

Regarding Uganda's chances in the upcoming matches, Paul Put stressed that the next encounter would be crucial. He stated, "We know very well what we must do in the next match. We will play under immense pressure because a draw will not be enough. We are now in dire need of a win to put ourselves in a position that allows us to compete for second or third place."

The Uganda coach concluded his remarks on an optimistic note, affirming his confidence in his players' ability to get back on track. He said, "We will analyze this match in depth to identify the mistakes we made and what we can improve. I believe in our ability to bounce back and rectify the situation."