Stylish ‘Kasasiro’ Boys fail to dazzle Tunisians
GOLDEN GENERATION: Standing L-R: Sekagya, Ssali, Musoke, Byansi, Ssekweyama, Muyanja.
Front Row L-R: Mbowa, Ggayi (RIP), Mugisha, Byekwaso, Musika. File Photo
What you need to know:
SOCCER. Six years without any league title, KCC coach Tom Lwanga, replacing sacked Mike Mutebi, assembled a ‘dream’ squad that showed finesse to bounce back to the big time in 1997. The Lugogo Boys went on to take the continent by storm.
The 1997 season brought long-awaited glory in the KCC camp. The team won the league after six years and reached the semi-finals of the Caf African Champions League. It was a stellar campaign that was followed all over the continent by hundreds of fans. The fairytale continental run was halted at the semifinal stage by Tunisia’s Esperance. KCC lost 3-1 in the first leg at Nakivubo and were later mauled 6-0 in Tunis. Prior, KCC had eliminated Rwanda’s APR 4–2 on aggregate.
In the second round, they defeated Congo’s AS Bantous 1–0 and faced Kenya’s AFC Leopards in the third round. After a 2–2 draw in the first leg, KCC went on to win 1–0 in the second leg to earn a semifinal date with Esperance. This is the squad that lined up against the Tunisian giants at Nakivubo.
Ibrahim Sekagya: Arguably Uganda’s most successful player, he started his career at Old Kampala S.S but blossomed at Naggalama Islamic School. Then he joined State House FC and later, KCC, which he captained to the 1997 league trophy. Four years later, he went to Argentina to play professionally and has never looked back.
He played for Atlético de Rafaela (2001–2002), Ferro Carril Oeste (2002–2005), Arsenal de Sarandí (2005–2007) before venturing to Europe, where he played for and captained Austria’s Red Bulls Salzburg. He later went to the American MLS, playing for the New York Red Bulls until his retirement last year. A Cranes captain for almost a decade, Sekagya is now a coach at New York Red Bulls.
Hussein Ssali: A safe pair of hands, Ssali left KCC at his prime and went to the US for studies. He has undergone a number of coaching courses and was rumoured to be targeting the reins at KCC in 2012. He lives in the US.
Lawrence Musoke: A hardworking and skilled player, Musoke is now based in London. He quit soccer and is now rumoured to be a musician - with ‘Rasta Sokie’ as his stage name.
Mohammad Byansi: Stout, committed and hardworking, it’s not a surprise that Byansi is reportedly still playing football. He joined KCC at the start of the 1997 season from Naggalama.
He started his career in Masaka and when he joined Old Kampala S.S, he found there the likes of Baker Mbowa, Wilson Ggayi (RIP) and Ssali. When they left for Naggalama, Byansi tagged along and just because Naggalama had turned into a KCC feeder club of sorts, Byansi also ended up at Lugogo. He had stints in various Asian countries before coming back briefly. Mbowa says Byansi is still playing in Sudan while other sources reckon that he is around town, doing private business.
Robert Ssekweyama: A powerful player, Ssekweyama was a beast to opponents. He also played for Scoul FC. He lives a simple life in Kampala.
Derrick Muyanja: A great defender, who relied on his brains and tenacity, Muyanja, alongside Abdallah Mubiru and Jackson Mayanja (not in picture) were some of the senior players in this team. He is credited to have tutored a young Sekagya to become one of the most reliable defenders. His discipline on the pitch was unmatched, hence a mainstay in the team for more than a decade. Summoned to the Uganda Cranes in 1991 but failed to cement a legacy there because of consistent injuries. He is in private business in Kikuubo, Kampala.
Baker Mbowa: Another player from Old Kampala and Naggalama. Mbowa’s ability to beat his markers and score goals endeared him to many fans. His goalscoring prowess made him a menace to opposition defenders. He scored KCC’s lone goal in this match. A small player with a big heart, his runs, timing, skill and eye for goal made him an important player in this team. Played for all national youth teams but found it tough in the senior team, registering just a single cap in a friendly against Kenya in 1996. He has coached a number of clubs including KCC, Masaka LC and is currently at Proline FC. He also coaches Kimanya S.S. in Masaka.
Wilson Ggayi (RIP): A midfield maestro, Ggayi honed his skill at Naggalama and later State House. His ball distribution and eye for a killer pass enabled the likes of Mbowa and Godfrey Mugisha to score easy goals. He passed on in December 1999 after a long illness.
Godfrey Mugisha: Just like Mbowa, Mugisha was a small player who relied more on his brains than his Body Mass Index. Some rate him as the best striker of his time at KCC. Like Mbowa again, Mugisha’s exploits at the club did not metamorphose into the Uganda Cranes. A qualified graphics designer, he once worked at Vision Group before joining Galaxy International School as a computer lecturer. He also works as a coach at Proline Soccer Academy.
Morley Byekwaso: A technically astute player. Quick feet and comfortable all-over the midfield and wings, KCC really benefited from Byekwaso’s talent. He also played for all national youth teams and the Uganda Cranes. Currently coaching Simba SC.
Wilbur Musika: A talented left back, Musika played for all national youth teams but didn’t last in the Cranes because he left early for the US. When Uganda Cranes lost 6-0 to Tunisia in the Afcon qualifiers in February 1999, a number of players announced their retirement from international football and Musika was one of them. Currently, Musika is a lecturer in Economics in at Grissom High School in Alabama.
