Uganda Cranes may have fallen 3-0 to Cameroon in an international friendly held on Friday, June 6, 2025, at the Stade de Marrakech Annexe in Morocco, but there were flashes of potential and learning moments for coach Paul Joseph Put’s rebuilding side.
Facing a formidable opponent ranked 50th in the latest FIFA rankings, the 89th-placed Cranes were given a stern test of their defensive organization and tactical resilience. The Indomitable Lions, known for their pace and power, made their presence felt through goals from defender Flavien Boyomo, Jean Batoum, and Patrick Soko.
Cameroon broke the deadlock in the 34th minute when Boyomo rose above the Cranes’ defence to power in a header off a well-delivered free-kick by Stade Rennais midfielder Mahamadou Nagida. Moments into the second half, another set-piece cost Uganda, as Batoum nodded in a corner taken by James Eto’o, doubling Cameroon’s advantage.
The third came in the 67th minute, courtesy of Patrick Soko, who calmly slotted past Nafian Alionzi following a deft assist from veteran forward Vincent Aboubakar, introduced at halftime.
Despite the scoreline, Uganda showed commitment and character in stretches, especially after tactical changes at the break. Youngsters Travis Mutyaba and Patrick Jonah Kakande were introduced in search of a spark, while Muhammed Shaban, Arafat Usama, and goalkeeper Isima Watenga were later handed minutes to gain valuable international exposure.
Coach Put used the game to assess depth and player combinations, although several squad members, including Joel Mutakubwa, Tony Sibbick, Isaac Muleme, Ivan Ahimbisibwe, Abdu Karim Watambala, Arnold Odong, and Nico Wakiro Wadada, did not feature.
After the match, head coach Paul Put said,
“I think first half we played good but unfortunately you give a goal away, it’s ridiculous, this can’t happen on this level. In the second half we asked the players to concentrate but still we conceded in the same way but we tried to create good chances but couldn’t score but we take the positives with the way we tried to create chances and we shall build on that going forward in the second game against Gambia and hopefully we shall get the positive results and i think i total we played well but unfortunately we conceded too easy.”
While the Cranes struggled at times to match Cameroon’s intensity, the friendly served its purpose offering key lessons against top-tier opposition and highlighting areas for improvement ahead of their next test.
Uganda will now regroup and continue their preparations for their next international warm-up fixture against The Gambia, set for July 9, again in Morocco. The journey to build a competitive Cranes team continues with optimism and focus.
