Uganda coach Paul Put cut a frustrated but determined figure after his side’s 1-1 draw with Tanzania in their AFCON 2025 East African derby in Rabat.
Uganda coach Paul Put cut a frustrated but determined figure after his side’s 1-1 draw with Tanzania in their AFCON 2025 East African derby in Rabat.
Put felt his team had done enough to win, pointing to their dominance of the ball and the number of chances they created over 90 high-intensity minutes. “I think we didn’t deserve a draw. I think we had more opportunities. If you look at the ball possession, we had more of it,” he said, underlining how costly Allan Okello’s missed stoppage-time penalty was for the Cranes’ qualification hopes.
He described the miss as “very painful” but accepted it as part of football, especially with a young squad still learning to handle pressure at this level. Put stressed that his responsibility is not only to get results now but also to build a competitive team for AFCON 2027, where Uganda will be hosts.
The Belgian coach revealed he had spoken to his players about keeping belief and fighting until the last game, with a tough group finale against Nigeria looming. “Yes we are disappointed, but we need to reset the mindset and prepare for the match against Nigeria which we know will not be easy,” he concluded, calling for focus rather than regret.
