Paul Put admits Uganda lacked aggression in 3-1 AFCON defeat to Tunisia
The game, played on Tuesday, December 23 at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, saw Tunisia dominate large spells and punish Uganda’s slow start.
Uganda coach Paul Put reacts during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group C football match between Tunisia and Uganda at Rabat Olympic Stadium in Rabat. AFP PHOTO
2025 Africa Cup of Nations
Tuesday 23rd(Morocco)
Group C ( Game one )
Tunisia 3 Uganda 1
Nigeria 2 Tanzania 1
Saturday 27th ( Game two)
Uganda v Tanzania
Tunisia v Nigeria
Uganda Cranes head coach Paul Put admitted his side lacked aggression after a 3-1 defeat to Tunisia in their opening Group C match at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The game, played on Tuesday, December 23 at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, saw Tunisia dominate large spells and punish Uganda’s slow start.
“We showed them too much respect. We know they are good at set pieces. This is a bad start. I think we were not aggressive enough,” Put said.
He added that Uganda only competed strongly for a short period. “If you play AFCON, you need to win the duels. We only had about 25 minutes of the game, but the rest we were on the back foot. That is not enough at this level,” he noted.
Tunisia took control early, opening the scoring in the 10th minute through Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Ellyes Skhiri. FC Copenhagen winger Elias Achouri then struck twice, netting in the 40th and 64th minutes to put the North Africans firmly in charge.
Substitute Denis Omedi of Rwanda’s APR FC salvaged a late consolation for Uganda in stoppage time, but it was not enough to alter the outcome.
Put’s starting lineup featured goalkeeper Salim Magoola ahead of veterans Denis Onyango and Nafian Alionzi. The defence included Toby Sibbick, Abdu Azizi Kayondo, Jordan Obita, and Rogers Torach Ochaki. Kenneth Ssemakula and captain Khalid Aucho anchored midfield, while Rogers Mato, Steven Mukwala, Jude Ssemugabi, and Lorenzen Melvyn led the attack. Despite second-half changes, including the introduction of Travis Mutyaba, Omedi, and 17-year-old James Bogere, Uganda struggled to match Tunisia’s intensity.
Looking ahead, Put stressed the urgency of Uganda’s next fixture.
“We know what we have to do in our next game. We will be playing under pressure. A draw will not be enough. You now need to win your next game to be in a position to finish second or third,” he said.
Despite the setback, the Belgian coach remains hopeful. “We will analyse the game and identify what we did wrong and what can be done better. I do believe we can bounce back,” Put added.
Tunisia’s victory gave them maximum points and top spot in Group C. Earlier, Nigeria edged Tanzania 2-1 in the group’s other match. Uganda will return to action on Saturday, December 27, against neighbours Tanzania at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat, while Nigeria face Tunisia the same day.
Group C Table (After Matchday One)
Tunisia – 3 points, +2 goal difference
Nigeria – 3 points, +1 goal difference
Tanzania – 0 points, −1 goal difference
Uganda – 0 points, −2 goal difference