Fifi Phiona Pinky: The harsh truth on Teen Cranes heavy defeat to Kenya

Kenya eliminated Uganda from the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup Qualifiers as NBS Sport’s Fifi Phiona Pinky analyzed Uganda’s tactical shortcomings.

Ugandan renowned football analyst Fifi Phiona Pinky  has revealed what went wrong for the Teen Cranes in their 5-0 aggregate defeat to Kenya in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.

Uganda’s journey came to a bitter end after a 3-0 loss in the return leg at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday afternoon, following their 2-0 home defeat in the first leg.

Speaking to Pulse Sports, Fifi highlighted how Kenya’s home advantage, crowd support, and motivation from key figures played a crucial role in their dominant victory. 

“Kenya had a sizable crowd, which Uganda lacked. Their Principal Secretary of Sports attended the match, meaning motivation was high,” she explained.

Beyond the atmosphere, Fifi, who works for NBS Sport, pointed out Kenya’s superior defensive organization and tactical approach which made it difficult for Uganda to find breakthroughs. 

“Kenya defended so well, not allowing Uganda to penetrate through. They created various chances, missed some, but scored the vital ones. Their coach, Cheche, read the game well by substituting away goal scorer Edina Nasipwondi for Brenda Achieng, who lightened up the game. Uganda were not good enough,” she analyzed.

She also addressed structural issues within Uganda’s setup, particularly coach Sheryl Botes heavy workload. 

“The Uganda team is a work in progress, but Coach Botes is overwhelmed handling all women’s teams. Between the senior team and junior team, one’s concentration levels may fluctuate,” she noted.

Another concern Fifi raised was the tactical mismanagement of players, which she believes contributed to Uganda’s struggles.

“Some players have been played out of position, but Kenya were better in composition, synchronization, and are generally more athletic than Uganda. They are physically better, and their game approach was superb over two legs,” she stated.

For Uganda to improve, she outlined four key areas that need immediate attention: chance creation, proper player positioning, body conditioning, and shooting accuracy. 

“They need to create many chances. The coach needs to deploy players in their natural positions. Body conditioning and physique need to be worked on. Shooting is a must if goals are to be scored. The game must be balanced, both in defending and attacking,” she emphasized.

Away from the pitch, Fifi continues to play a significant role in documenting Uganda’s sports history through NBS Sport’s exclusive programming. 

She introduced her show, Emboozi Teba Nkadde, which she believes will revolutionize sports storytelling in Uganda.

 “Emboozi Teba Nkadde will tell stories of the past, compare with the present, and shape the future with sports personalities. So many people tell their stories, but how you tell yours is what gets the audience buzzing. It airs Thursday at 10:00 PM, which is a great time to inform, entertain, and educate viewers since no show has done that,” she revealed.

Fifi assured Ugandan football fans that NBS Sport will remain the go-to platform for in-depth sports analysis and coverage.

“Ugandans should expect the best since NBS Sport is the only 24/7 Uganda sports channel with household names and experts that leave no stone unturned when disseminating information.” she affirmed.

Meanwhile, Kenya progresses to the next round, where they will face Cameroon as they aim for a spot in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.