What 2016’s best sports moments have taught us

It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas. Heck, it is Christmas today, and that means the backend of 2016 is well and truly upon us. The blow-by-blow account of the goings-on from a purely Ugandan sporting perspective have been as cringeworthy as they are intriguing.

Yes, Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic went months without pay; captains of two topflight football league clubs were suspended amidst claims of being involved in a match fixing racket; and, oh, lest we forget, Charles Bakkabulindi was retained as minister in charge of the sports docket.

Ugandan sport might have faced it’s fair share of uncomfortable truths in 2016, but it would be disingenuous to claim that success stories were in scant supply.

There were a number of feel-good stories. Here -- in no particular order -- are some of my best, and, most importantly, what they taught us:

Breaking the Afcon finals jinx
This was always a tough needle to thread. Before snapping the hoodoo on September 4, Uganda had last played at the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations or Afcon finals.

Besides withdrawing from two qualification campaigns, The Cranes pulled up short in 15 others since finishing as the runners-up in 1978.

Some of the qualification campaigns were menacingly close so much so that they conveyed Cranes fans’ frustration and helplessness in the face of perennial failure. While reference was made to the law of averages by many optimists, Cranes players could have been forgiven for entertaining the thought of giving up.

Except they didn’t. Their response remained steadfast. They were unflinching in their determination to banish the lingering stench of coming so close yet so far on multiple occasions. In so doing, they showed us that there are rewards in persisting.

A first at the Paralympics
When David Emong placed fourth in the men’s 1500m T45-46 category at the 2012 Paralympics in London, he could be excused for wondering why he was bothering at all. His valiant effort got no column inches in the newspapers and mentions on radio or TV for good measure.

Such an outcome was bound to be the sum of all fears for Emong who was left with little functionality in his left arm after being roughed up in elementary school.

Why push the envelope when your compatriots clearly don’t care that much for disability sports? Emong, though, was determined to become the first Ugandan to podium at the Paralympics. He did just that in Rio de Janeiro a few days before he turned 26.

Emong won silver in a classification for disability athletics earmarked for people with a single below or above the elbow amputation. In so doing, he showed us that there are rewards in stoically keeping your eyes on the ultimate prize.

A well-oiled machine
City Oilers became only the second Ugandan club after Falcons in 2001 to land the Fiba Africa Zone V Championship title. A 72-49 blowout of Kenyan champions Ulinzi in the Tanzanian chief port of Dar es Salaam delivered the title.

City Oilers are supposed to be new to the game yet they keep showing an insatiable appetite for winning trophies. In so doing, they have showed all young pretenders out there that it’s okay to dream because dreams can come true.

Honourable mentions
Other stories that left an indelible mark on your columnist in 2016 are Denis Onyango winning the Caf Champions League, and Rugby Cranes bossing the Africa Cup 7s in the Kenyan capital. These fairytale feats showed us that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.
Merry Christmas!

Revisiting the successful Afcon qualifying campaign

Next month, Uganda will play in its first Africa Cup of Nations or Afcon finals since 1978. The Cranes will go in Group D alongside record winners Egypt, Ghana and Mali.

This after they raked a respectable 13 points in qualification to finish as the best runners-up.

As 2016 disappears into ether, this column revisits the landmark qualifying campaign that hit a crescendo after Farouk Miya’s 36th minute goal procured victory over Comoros. Your columnist believes that these were the key moments of the qualifying campaign:

Save of the campaign
It did not pan out in 2016. Back in September of 2015, Cranes were a goal to the good away to Comoros when Dennis Guma conceded a penalty.

Sensing a chance to get back on terms, the home fans found their voice. Little did they know that in Denis Onyango Uganda has someone who has grasped the hidden contours of making penalty saves. The Ugandan net minder dived to his left to make a smart save.

Uganda had its first away win of its campaign as early as match day two.

Comeback of the campaign
After reeling off two wins on the bounce without conceding a goal, Uganda lost its perfect start to the campaign on match day three.

It was shortly before the hour mark that Cranes midfield enforcer Khalid Aucho gave away a penalty. This time Onyango was powerless to stop Jonathan Pitroipa’s expertly taken kick.
If The Cranes played the bridesmaid once again, its long-suffering fans would glumly look back at the cheap penalty Aucho conceded and tear themselves apart over it. Aucho made sure this was not the case by nonchalantly stroking the winner away to Botswana’s Zebras in Francistown on the penultimate match day. The win meant that Uganda would decide its fate on the final match day. Victory at home to Comoros would leave them home and dry.

Goal of the campaign
Uganda scored a measly six goals in the six qualifiers they played. Farouk Miya’s winner at home. That said, the manner in which Brian Umony took his goal in the 2-0 win over Botswana on match day one radiated grandeur.

William Kizito Luwagga’s opener in the 2-1 win away to Botswana is also worth mentioning if not for Tonny Mawejje’s superlative long pass then the scorer’s close control.

Breakthrough of the campaign
Cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic was supposed to grapple with a migraine when regular right back Dennis Guma picked up a booking that ruled him out of the match against Comoros.

Replacing Guma looked every inch like a Herculean task when an attempt to deploy centre-half Isaac Isinde in the right back slot failed spectacularly.

That was in an international friendly against Kenya. Micho opted to bite the bullet by handing Nicholas Wadada a start as the right back in the must-win match at home to Comoros. Wadada didn’t betray Micho’s trust in him.

The Vipers SC skipper put in his best display yet in a Cranes jersey. Guma now faces the prospect of being Wadada’s understudy when the 2017 Afcon finals get underway in Gabon next month.

Player of the campaign
Who else but the man himself, Denis Onyango. The South Africa-based goalkeeper likes his sheets clean, and he kept four of them in the campaign.

The 29-year-old had the odd rush of blood during the goalless draw at home to Burkina Faso on match day four, and was lucky Pitroipa did not punish an ill-advised attempt to play as a sweeper-keeper late on.

Aside from that gaffe, Onyango pretty much covered himself in glory during the monumental campaign. His legend grew that bit more when he saved Youssouf M’changama’s penalty at Stade Said Mohamed Cheikh in Mitsamiouli, Comoros.

What we now know....

We know that no Ugandan club has ever made it to the lucrative group stage of the Caf Champions League. If KCCA FC are to break that duck in 2017, they will need to pull a rabbit out of the hat.

We now know that the Kasasiro Boys will face Angolan champions Primeiro de Agosto in the competition’s preliminary round.

The winner of the two legged tie will have to contend with a glamour first round fixture against defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.

We know that Denis Onyango became the first Ugandan to win the Caf Champions League when he kept goal for the South African outfit. If he does come up against KCCA FC, revenge will top his bill. This after KCCA FC bundled him and Supersport United out of the competition a few years back.

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