Coach McKinstry leads Uganda to 2019 CECAFA Victory

Uganda win CECAFA 2019: Uganda beat Eritrea to be crowned CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup Winners of 2019 (19 Dec 2019).

Goals from Bright Anukani, Mustafa Kiiza and Joel Madondo saw Uganda secure the win over Eritrea, who had impressed many by defeating Kenya to make their way to the final.

Winning the tournament for a record 15th time, it was only the second time in Uganda's history that they had done so by winning every game in the tournament.

Uganda v Eritrea, Final, CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup 2019.   Photo: XtraTimeSports (Darren McKinstry)Uganda National Team.    
CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup 2019.  
Photo: XtraTimeSports (Darren McKinstry)

For Coach McKinstry, the win rounds off a successful 2019 and first few months as Head Coach of Uganda - with 9 wins and 1 draw from 10 games. The tournament victory also improves on his 2015 CECAFA performance, where he lead Rwanda to the runners-up spot, being named 'Coach of the Tournament' for doing so.

Speaking after Uganda lifted the trophy, McKinstry said:

"I'm extremely proud of all the Uganda Cranes players & staff and their efforts which have delivered a perfect run of 6 wins from 6 games to lift the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup 2019."


 

"I am pleased with how the players performed in the final after five very tough matches. It is a huge honour to win this tournament and it is a very good starting point for us as we prepare for the CAF Nations Championship [CHAN] in Cameroon in 2020".

Asked to comment on opponents Eritrea, he said:

"We knew our opponents would be giving absolutely everything to get a result, and we knew we would have to be at our best as Eritrea have shown in this tournament that they can cause problems if they are allowed to. It is fair to say the Eritrean performance throughout the tournament has been remarkable"

 

 

Kampala, Uganda. 19 Dec 2019.  Mustapha Kizza (12, Uganda) and team mates celebrate putting Uganda 2-0 ahead.  Uganda v Eritrea, Final, CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup 2019. Credit: XtraTimeSports (Darren McKinstry)Kampala, Uganda. 19 Dec 2019.  Mustapha Kizza (12, Uganda) and team mates celebrate putting Uganda 2-0 ahead. 
Uganda v Eritrea, Final, CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup 2019.
Photo: XtraTimeSports (Darren McKinstry)


 

Coach McKinstry (Head Coach, Uganda) with the 2019 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup.   Photo: XtraTimeSports (Darren McKinstry)Coach McKinstry (Head Coach, Uganda) with the 2019 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup.  
Photo: XtraTimeSports (Darren McKinstry)


 

Notes to Editors

  • In winning CECAFA 2019, Uganda won all six of their games, scoring fourteen goals and conceding just two.
  • To reach final Uganda overcame Burundi (2-1); Somalia (2-0); Eritrea (2-0); Djibouti (4-1); Tanzania (1-0); Eritrea (Final 3-0).
  • Since being appointed on 01 Oct 2019, Coach McKinstry has now secured 9 wins and one draw from 10 games.
  • In addition to the above results, these also include: Malawi, 2-0 (AFCON qualifier- Nov 19); Burkina Faso, 1-1 (AFCON qualifier- Nov 19); Burundi, 3-0 (CHAN qualifier – Oct 19), Ethiopia, 1-0 (International Friendly – Oct 19)

More News

Visit www.johnnymckinstry.com/ugandacranes

Media / Enquiries

Contact  with requests.  

Photo Gallery / Download 

See www.johnnymckinstry.com/gallery for a selection of images.

(Photography by: www.xtratimesports.net)

More News

Visit www.johnnymckinstry.com, or follow on social media:

Twitter: @johnnymckinstry

Instagram: @coachmckinstry

LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/johnnymckinstry

Facebook: www.facebook.com/coachmckinstry 

Read More

You can read more about Coach McKinstry's:

About Coach McKinstry

Coach McKinstry is a UEFA Pro Licensed Football Coach, with a number of successes across his 20+ year career to date.    He is currently Head Coach of the Gambia National Team and Head Coach of Gor Mahia FC in Kenya (2022-24) where he won two Kenya Premier League titles (2023-24, 2022-23), and the 2023-24 Kenya Charity Shield, returning the club to the top of Kenyan football.

As Head Coach of the Uganda National Team, (2019 - 2021) he led Uganda to win CECAFA 2019 and delivered a win from 2 in every 3 games, going undefeated in 8 in evey 10 games.  This represented the highest 'win' and 'undefeated' rate achieved by a Uganda National Team Coach in over 15 years.

He was Head Coach of the Rwanda National Football Team (2015-16). Within 17 months he led Rwanda to a number of highs - including their first ever appearance in the knockout stages of a major international tournament (Quarter-finals of CHAN, Jan 2016) and finished runner-up in CECAFA (Dec 2105), being named 'Coach of the Tournament' for his efforts. 

Across 2013-14, he was Head Coach of the Sierra Leone National Men's Football team. Within just over a year, he had led Sierra Leone to their highest ever FIFA World and African rankings - 7th in Africa and 50th in the World (August 2014). 

He has also been Head Coach of Saif Sporting Club, Bangladesh Premier League (2018-19); and FK Kauno Zalgiris, Lithuanian A-Lyga (2017-18).   

Coach McKinstry is a European (UEFA), American (NSCAA) and university qualified football coach and a member of Common Goal.

Slideshow: Uganda Highlights

  • XTS 20191219-154141-3692 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-161632-4605 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-161855-4646 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-161859-4659 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-162446-3703 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-165111-3718 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-170043-4755 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-170745-3725 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-170808-4789 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-170823-4801 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-171235-3733 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-172512-4883 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-172513-4884 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-172854-4895 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-172859-4904 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-174123-4198 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-175553-5037 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-175616-5056 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-175623-5075 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-175725-4255 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-180028-3764 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-180749-4334 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-154141-3692 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-161632-4605 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-161855-4646 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-161859-4659 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-162446-3703 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-165111-3718 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-170043-4755 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-170745-3725 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-170808-4789 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-170823-4801 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-171235-3733 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-172512-4883 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-172513-4884 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-172854-4895 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-172859-4904 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-174123-4198 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-175553-5037 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-175616-5056 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-175623-5075 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-175725-4255 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-180028-3764 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea
  • XTS 20191219-180749-4334 CECAFA2019-F-Uganda-Eritrea