Cranes canter to victory, lose at Lugogo

Five-star performance: Mucureezi (second right) celebrates one of his four goals on Saturday

What you need to know:

  • All Sport. In the 2003 chart-topping action war drama– Tears of the Sun, legendary actor Bruce Willis, who played as a Lieutenant, said; ‘God already left Africa’, in arguably the movie’s most quotable quote.
  • And if he was trying to insinuate that ‘God forgot Africa’, then the events at Lugogo yesterday made his famous phrase come to pass like Holy Scripture.

Kampala. There was a thin line between victory and defeat for the nation and national teams – Uganda Cranes and Rugby Cranes as the small town of Lugogo enjoyed a slice of history by hosting two international encounters concurrently for the first time on the same day – Saturday, July 22.
The Rugby Cranes suffered a 48-24 defeat to a superior Namibia in the Rugby Africa Gold Cup on Match Day four whereas the Uganda Cranes inched closer to another African Nations Championship appearance with a 5-1 demolition of South Sudan.
The series of events at both grounds left bittersweet memories for those watching. Below are some of the worthy talking points.
Kadaga’s ‘grand’ entry
One second on Pay TV is estimated to cost at least $2,000 (Shs7.2m). The chief guest of the Africa Gold Cup encounter between Uganda and overwhelming tournament favourites Namibia, the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga ensured the game was delayed for 20 minutes. Unfortunate this! With both teams assembled for their national anthems and kickoff, Kadaga alighted from the heavens in a military chopper to the dismay of the Kwese Sports TV Crew. As she disembarked from the chopper, Kadaga was grinning from ear to ear and waving endlessly to the crowd. Certainly she ‘chewed’ her show but it cost an arm and a leg to everybody else.
It came at the expense of Kwese having to reschedule the day’s other game between Kenya and Zimbabwe plus the following programmes.
The fans who had also planned to watch both rugby and soccer take on South Sudan, either had to settle for one match or catch just bits of both as rugby had not yet ended when soccer started.
But the chopper landing at the match venue when Kololo Airstrip is just a five-minute walk away was very ill-advised. An opportunist with a credible threat is a dangerous thing. Kadaga you ought not to be one. Let’s not waste ‘our money’ next time.

Transport dilemma
Isn’t this the story of our lives as Ugandans. As Kadaga stole the show to fly in for a game in Kampala, the Rugby Cranes had to make do with a taxi to Legends Sports Club whereas the Namibians, who arrived a little late, had to make do with a Pioneer Bus – yes you read it right. South Sudan were unfortunately, even, first driven to Legends instead of the StarTimes Stadium in Lugogo for their game. At least the Uganda Cranes had their well emblazoned official team to do the business.
Worse still, both sets of teams had no police lead cars. Then Rugby Cranes coach Robert Seguya was seen in Ntinda running personal errands, hours to kick off, when he was supposed to be offering a pep talk to his brigade in the dugout. Talk of professionalism – or lack of it.

Lugogo overwhelmed
Still on transport. Lugogo got a test of its lifetime by hosting the two events. A couple of access roads had been blocked by Police to help them manage crowds and traffic better. But that left those with other programmes rather than sports on the day in pain. The gridlock was unbearable. The packing of both venues could only handle just a handful of automobiles and those who couldn’t sneak into Shoprite/Game and Forest Mall parking yards had to leave their rides as far as Naguru, Bukoto and Nakawa for safety reasons. With what happened at Lugogo not being the last time it will happen, questions of improving infrastructure at both venues and other stadia will continue to beg answers.

Bobi – The People’s Wine
The award of the most popular politician goes to newly-elected Kyadondo East MP Hon Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu. Bobi Wine is the name more familiar to the lay man. When the self-acclaimed ‘Ghetto President’ turned up late for the Uganda Cranes – South Sudan game, he had a few hangers on as expected including his elder brother Fred Ssentamu aka Chairman Nyanzi and younger one Michael Mukwaya aka Mickie Wine. Unlike Kadaga, Bobi didn’t interrupt proceedings; actually his entry was sort of a lucky charm for substitute Paul Mucureezi who banged in his third of the day. For the Rugby Cranes, Kadaga’s presence will easily be forgotten as it was on a day they suffered their first loss this international season. There were several high caliber personalities in the building including State Sports Minister Charles Bakkabulindi, Youth Affairs Minister Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi and Kachumbala County MP Hon Patrick Isiagi Opolot in the building but there was no one warming up to them after the game. Instead it was Bobi being swarmed for hugs, handshakes and selfie requests. Give us more Wine, Bobi!

Mucureezi has his way
Coach Micho Sredojevic perfectly predicted that Cranes will ram in the goals against South Sudan at Lugogo. But not even the best pundit would have hinted that KCCA midfielder Paul Mucureezi would be the man to dim the lights on the visiting Bright Stars that had held Uganda to a goalless stalemate in Juba. The 24-year-old came off the bench to score not just a historic hattrick – the third in Ugandan colours after David Obua and Tony Odur but four goals as Uganda run amok with a 5-1 whitewash of the Sudanese. For want-away Mucureezi, whose cause was helped by Micho playing him in an advanced role, it wasthe perfect day to settle his scores with KCCA coach Mike Mutebi and the club’s management. Mucureezi feels he has been sidelined by Mutebi, who prefers fielding 17-year-old sensation Julius Poloto ahead of him.
Title-hungry Vipers, who boast of an enviable bank balance thanks to club owner Lawrence Mulindwa, are taking advantage of the situation and are apparently in talks with Mucureezi. “Poloto shouldn’t even make the bench, if Mucureezi is starting,” joked one KCCA fan after the match. Was Saturday the last time Mutebi and KCCA fans got to applaud Mucureezi putting a knife at the enemy’s throat at their home ground? Only time will tell.
Fufa masterstroke
The game was certainly a homecoming for several KCCA players. Three made the starting XI and a further four were on the match day squad. All the goals were scored by the Kasasiro lads and there were memories of the Onduparaka obliteration as it was the last time KCCA got a big scoreline like that. But hats off to the local governing body - Fufa - for bringing the game to Lugogo. It was an informed decision both financially and in terms of common sense. In these tough fiscal times, Namboole would have been a tad too expensive for hiring and the fans wouldn’t have come in droves as they did to Lugogo which is nearer to the City Center. The entry charges were also friendly on the day and fielding as many KCCA players – seven - helped as it is their home ground and they know their astro-turf pitch far better than other local players. On a scale of 1-10, Fufa deserve a 11 – for once.

Loudest cheer of the day
Keeping with the Onduparaka memories, it is also important to note that South Sudan were donning green jerseys – a stripe made famous by the Arua-based side. The opponents had three players, who know more than just a thing or two about Uganda and its football including Luzira-bred Robert Wurube Lopidia. And it was a fitting end when South Sudan scored the sixth goal of the match under fading light and a first for them over two legs in the 90th minute. Khamis Leon Uso’s strike got the loudest cheer of the night from both sets of fans. And what a beauty it was. A true reflection of how fans have come of age. Sometimes you don’t have to step on someone’s toes when they’re on their knees. A big round of applause to the fans.