Uganda coach Mulitin Sredojevic said on Thursday his side's heavy defeat to Ivory Coast in a Nations Cup warm-up is "a blessing in disguise", confirming the game showed many lessons to learn before the tournament's Kick off.
Defending champions Ivory Coast thrashed Uganda 3-0 in a friendly game in in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday as both countries prepare for the Nations Cup which starts in Gabon on 14 January..
"It's a blessing in disguise that it happened before the tournament,'' Sredojevic was quoted as saying by Ghanasoccernet on Thursday.
''It makes us aware what criteria and standards we need to have in order to get first goal, first win, first passage to quarter finals after 39 years.'
''What negatives I saw and positives we pick, we shall serve to players in man, partnership, department, group and team management polishing approach."
''The highest competition in African football demands highest level of focus and concentration on details and when you don’t take care of them you get a rude awakening.''
Uganda, who qualified for the continental tournament for the first time since 1978, were drawn in group D along with Egypt, Ghana and Mali.
They will start their Nations Cup campaign with a game against Ghana on 17 January.