Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Grande Stade de Tanger, Tangier – 8:00 PM
Uganda Cranes wind down their November international engagements with a stern examination against hosts Morocco at the Grande Stade de Tanger on Tuesday night.
Paul Put’s charges edged Chad 2–1 in their opening friendly last week, but the Belgian tactician believes this final encounter presents a more accurate measure of the team’s readiness for the upcoming TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations.
Reflecting on the Chad outing, Put admitted the performance fell short of expectations despite the positive result.
“We didn’t hit the levels we wanted against Chad, but the key takeaway is that we got the win,” he noted. “Facing Morocco is a different kind of challenge altogether, and it’s the sort of test we need at this stage.”
Uganda will once again operate without several influential figures, including Aziz Kayondo, Jamal Salim, Rogers Mato, and Elio Capradossi. Their absence opens the door for fringe players to make a compelling case before the final Afcon squad is named.
Put is expected to adjust his starting lineup significantly, with established stars such as captain Khalid Aucho, Kenneth Ssemakula, veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango, and striker Steven Mukwala likely to be drafted into the first XI.
Morocco, who scraped past Mozambique 1–0 in their earlier fixture during this international window, are also missing two pillars of their squad.
Full-back Achraf Hakimi and centre-half Nayef Aguerd remain sidelined through injury. Nonetheless, the Atlas Lions boast enough depth to offer Uganda a real examination under the Tangier floodlights.
With Afcon fast approaching, both sides will view this clash as a crucial tune-up, but for Uganda, it is an opportunity to sharpen cohesion, test depth, and gather confidence against one of the continent’s most formidable outfits.
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