“We took it lightly” – Matia Lule admits Police FC lacked character in Uganda Cup exit

Photo Credit - Police FC Media.

Police FC head coach Matia Lule pulled no punches after his side’s painful elimination from the Stanbic Uganda Cup at the hands of FUFA Big League outfit Kataka FC on Tuesday, expressing clear disappointment in the team's attitude and performance.

The quarterfinal clash at Kavumba Recreation Ground ended goalless in normal time and was ultimately decided by penalties where Police faltered. In a dramatic shootout, Tony Kiwalazi, Gadafi Kacancu and Ben Ocen all saw their efforts cannon off the woodwork.

Kataka, on the other hand, held their nerve with Marcus Aka, Muhammed Biafula, and Ali Sentamu converting to fire their team into the semifinals. “To me, it felt like we took the game lightly,” Lule told the club media. “There was no character m, that’s not how we’ve been playing in previous matches. The attitude just wasn’t right.”

Lule acknowledged the loss and quickly redirected focus to Police FC’s survival campaign in the league. “We thank God that the game ended the way it did. Unfortunately, we lost. Now, we have to shift our focus back to the league and fight relegation. That’s our main target now,” he said.

Police FC, currently 12th on the Uganda Premier League table with 27 points from 24 games, will face URA FC next again at Kavumba on Friday, April 25th in what is shaping up to be a crucial fixture. When questioned about the team’s penalty shootout preparation, Lule defended his methods amidst growing criticism.

“A layman may think otherwise, but as a professional coach, there’s no way I’d prepare for a knockout game without training for penalties,” he stated. “People are entitled to their opinions, but we did our part.”

With their cup dreams dashed, the Cops now return to league business knowing that anything short of full commitment could cost them dearly.