Chan 2020: McKinstry hopeful Uganda can break duck and reach quarter-finals

Uganda head coach Johnathan McKinstry has assessed their chances of qualifying for the knockout stage of the African Nations Championship (Chan) tournament this year.

Caf conducted the draw for the sixth edition of the tournament with Uganda getting Morocco, Togo and Rwanda as their Group C opponents. 

Uganda have never made it into the knockout stage of the competition and McKinstry believes, with good preparations, they are destined to break their duck.

“We have a North African opponent, we have West African opponent and an East African opponent and I understand the kind of football that comes with is different from each other,” McKinstry told Fufa TV.

“So, in our preparations, we have to be ready for those different types of football but overall we feel it is a group we can qualify from.

“I think overall it is an interesting group to be drawn and there is a whole different type of football we have to play.”

The Northern Irish coach explained why Togo and champions Morocco are probably Uganda's toughest opponents in the tournament.

“Obviously, we have Togo who are making their debut and there will certainly be new things to them because they are slightly inexperienced in the Chan tournament. But it should be noted they have a very experienced coach in Claude Le Roy,” he stated.

“We know some players might lack experience but they are being prepared by a coach who has been in the African continent for over 20 years.

“The Morocco test will be the difficult one because they are the champions.”

McKinstry further revealed the desire to see his charges progress from the preliminary stage but he underlines the importance of confidence in the whole process.

“But we go into the tournament confident and believing it is a group we can qualify from and obviously if we do that it would be our first fete,” he continued.

“That is our big target if we can make it into the quarter-finals then the tournament can open up.”

The tournament will be held in four cities in Cameroon from April 4-25.