UGANDAN FOOTBALL REVIEW: TOP 12 HIGHLIGHTS FROM YEAR 2014 As year 2014 comes to an end, here is a beautiful review of the year 2014 in Ugandan football. From another AFCON failed campaign to losing the unbeaten home record at Namboole, the U-17, verbal but not physical return of Supersport, Vipers finishing the first round of the Uganda Premier League unbeaten and on top of that, get to know who Uganda’s footballer of the year is as Jumba Dalausi writes. Same old story for Ugandan clubs in continental competitions Our representatives in CAF Champions League KCC FC and those in CAF Confederations Cup SC Victoria University once again failed to reach the lucrative group stages of the competition. KCC FC eliminated Sudan’s El Merriekh in the preliminary round but fell to Nkana of Zambia in the next round whilst SCVU in their first attempt at the continent couldn’t dislodge DR Congo’s CS Don Bosco. FUFA, USL Sign Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) In April, FUFA president Engineer Moses Magogo signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Uganda Super League Ltd (USL) in a move that confirmed the return of Supersport to broadcast topflight league games. However, eight months later, things remain same due to refusal of Vipers SC and SC Victoria University to sign the deed of adherence. No club has received any financial support from Supersport as promised and neither has any game been telecast live with the South African company making it clear they won’t return minus any clubs not signing the deed. KCC FC retain league title George ‘Best’ Nsimbe won his 3rd league title as KCC FC coach when he guided the club to a second championship in a row. The Kasasiro side had the likes of Tony Odur, Herman Wasswa, and Tom Masiko whose contribution in terms of goals was immense while Hakim Senkumba and Ivan Ntege ran the show in midfield with Ronnie Kisekka commanding the backline with authority. Influx of Ugandan players to regional leagues Another year in which a flurry of Ugandan footballers left the country for paid ranks but within the region. Sentamu joined AS Vita from Vipers SC, Ronald Musana from Saints to KCB, Ismail Kabugu from Proline to Nairobi City Stars, Jamal Salim from KCC FC to El Merriekh, Tony Odur from KCC FC to Nkana FC, Murushid Jjuuko from SCVU to Simba (Tanzania), Simon Sserunkuma from Express FC to Simba (Tanzania) plus coaches Matia Lule and George ‘Best’ Nsimbe to Tanzania. Jamal Salim inspires El Merriekh to Kagame Cup For the first time in more 15 years, Sudan’s El Merriekh won the CECAFA Kagame Cup but it wouldn’t be possible minus Ugandan goalie Jamal Salim. The youthful custodian was the architect of the victory saving shootouts in the quarter finals against Azam and also in the semis against former bosses KCC FC. Besides, he made crucial saves in the final against home side APR. No wonder, he was voted best goalie of the tournament. U-17 exploits in Youth Qualifiers excites Ugandans Following a ban in 2010 over use of over aged players, the U-17 team was finally reinstated this year under the guidance of Coach Matia Lule. The Cubs dispatched Seychelles and Rwanda in dominant displays before falling to giants Zambia in the final round of qualification to miss out on the finals in Niger. Their performances brought excitement within in the football fraternity but ever since defeat to Zambia, they have never regrouped and Matia Lule has since joined paid ranks in Tanzania Vodacom Premier League. End of an era? Who knows but it has been the norm. Another failed AFCON campaign So close yet so far was the phrase again for Uganda Cranes in a bid to play at AFCON finals for the first time since 1978. The Cranes started well holding Ghana in Kumasi before edging Guinea 2-0 in Kampala to lead the group. Things fall apart against Togo with 1-0 defeats home and away but a 1-0 victory over Ghana put the campaign back on track only for Guinea to beat Uganda 2-0 in the final game in which a draw would have been enough. Uganda Cranes lose 10 year unbeaten home record Thanks to Togo and Donou Kokou in particular, Uganda’s home unbeaten record that has stood for ten years came to an end. Before the loss to Togo, Cranes’ previous loss at Namboole had come against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in October 2004 when Benni McCarthy converted from the spot after a foul by Timothy Batabaire. Savio Kabugo is player of the year He began the year with gallant performances at CHAN finals in 2014 where he was arguably amongst Uganda’s top three performers. As if that wasn’t enough, the SC Victoria University went ahead to break into the senior Cranes team dislodging experienced Isaac Isinde and Henry Kalungi. Kabugo went ahead to score against Ghana; a goal that revived Uganda’s fortunes in the Road to AFCON finals campaign and got praise from Togo and Tottenham Hotspurs centre forward Emmanuel Adebayor. He beats Geoffrey Massa, Yunus Sentamu and Daniel Sserunkuma to the award. Massa, Sentamu make Africa Player of the Year (based in Africa) List It is a year in which Uganda Cranes forwards Geoffrey Massa and Yunus Sentamu who ply their professional trade in South Africa and DR Congo respectively earned nominations for the continent based Africa Player of Year. Massa has enjoyed a good year scoring goals for fun in the 2015 AFCON qualifiers; making him one of the competition’s leading goal scorers and also enjoyed his stint at PSL side Pretoria University. For Sentamu, it all started in CHAN where his 3 goals caught attention of Africa and then his goals in CAF Champions League saw AS Vita reach the finals. The last Ugandan to have made that list was Hassan Mubiru way back in early 2000s. Vipers unscathed so far in first round That Vipers SC are log leaders is no surprise but finishing the first round unbeaten is truly great achievement. The Buikwe based side has won 10 of their 15 first round fixtures in 2014/15 Uganda Premier League losing points in only five but not with defeats. Can they sustain their unbeaten in the second half the season? Azam TV makes formal offer on league broadcast rights The hiccups failing Supersport to broadcast the Uganda Premier League have seen Tanzania’s Pay TV Company Azam TV make a formal offer to take over the broadcast rights of the league. There have always been reports of interest from Azam traded by a few club officials but without an official statement from the company itself. However, FUFA this week acknowledged receipt of the offer and where this ends; only time will tell.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 07:42:11 +0000
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