Brilliant Ssentogo covers up for naive URA display

Kampala. Frank Kalanda must be a person who has learnt to live in moment. His celebration of URA’s winner in Friday’s 3-2 winner over visiting Elgeco Plus said it all.
Kalanda ran into one corner of near-empty Namboole stands and tossed his yellow jersey in the air. The striker, a substitute for Patrick Ochan, signaled to the ‘fans’.
You could tell that he was shouting; “I am the man.” This was more than a tap-in to him after the Madagascans’ goalkeepers fluffed Feni Ali’s tame shot.
Kalanda had only been a sideshow. It was Robert Ssentogo’s day; the striker’s brace twice digging URA from a deep hole after Jonathan ‘Dante’ Mugabi was sent off for a professional foul.
His foul gave the visitors the lead from 12 yards, a precious away goal, in the Caf Champions League preliminary round first leg encounter. Alex Isbairye, the coach, could perhaps remind Kalanda that the cup is half empty and not half full ahead of the second leg in a fortnight.
“The game didn’t go our way entirely,” Isabirye said. “I had never seen them so I thought the first half was to study first. But, after halftime, we had a player sent off, it changed my plans.”
Even with 10 men, he retained an attacking mindset with his substitutions. After Mugabi, midfielder Oscar Agaba was lucky to stay on the field after pulling down Deanny Rajaorimanana. URA could have been down to nine. Agaba is one lucky man. This was naïve display in a game they created an avalanche of chances in the first half against an opponent many would call “a no-name.”
A one-goal cushion is too thin for Isabirye’s side. If they are to complete the job in Antananarivo, the tax collectors must pay heavily to acquire ruthlessness, and calm.
They are now underdogs, like many times before against more illustrious opponents than the islanders.