Uganda bowed out of African Cup of Nations finals despite putting up a brave fight against the Lions of Teranga on Friday night
Uganda midfielder Micheal Azira believes his team fell to Senegal in their Round of 16 battle at the Africa Cup of Nations finals because they failed to take their chances.
The Cranes made it to the knockout stages for the first time since 1978 but lost by a solitary goal on Friday night.
The Montreal Impact player says the difference was up front for his team where they ‘couldn’t finish’ their chances.
“It was not that tough, the thing is we just couldn’t finish, and they got two good chances and they put away one and it makes the difference. This game is about scoring,” Azira told Goal after the match.
“I feel like we gave everything, we just need to improve as a team, need to improve in front of the goal, to be a little clinical but at the end of the day, I feel we gave our best.
“I wish we could have stayed in the tournament, but we gave our best. There is room for improvement, we would not kill ourselves that we didn’t give our best.”
Azira has also expressed admiration with the way coach Sebastien Desabre handles the team saying it is one of the reasons why they have greatly improved.
“He [Desabre] gives people freedom, he wants people to play, he encourages playing from the back, and if we make mistakes we learn from them,” Azira continued.
“He gives us the freedom to play and is what the players want if you give them the same they will do everything for you. Soccer is improving every day and having Desabre is one of the best things to happen in the country.
“A lot of people took Uganda for granted, but we managed to get into the Round of 16, we have not been there for long so it is a positive thing. If you look the way we play, soccer has improved a lot in Uganda, and some of them play abroad and is great.”
Benin and Senegal have made it to the quarter-finals of the competition with the former getting to that stage for the first time in history.
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