Kizza is KCCA’s gift that keeps on giving

Huge revelation: Kizza plotting a free-kick against St George. He has come of age for the Lugogo-based side. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO

Kampala.

A year ago this week, KCCA sanctioned a move for utility left back Joseph Ochaya to Zambia’s Lusaka Dynamos.
With the club still featuring in the Caf Confederation Cup at the time, the move and timing was viewed negatively in some quarters.
Yet like with many of the subsequent departures at the club, manager Mike Mutebi insisted the club had more than able replacements.
A year later, the decision appears as the best option for all parties involved.
Ochaya, voted the league’s best player in 2016 is not only earning decently in Zambia but the club is also soaring to greater heights as witnessed on Saturday. Many even hardly noticed the player was around to witness the club’s historic feat on Saturday.
One of the reasons for this has been the emergence of the left footed Mustafa Kizza.
As KCCA has often struggled to breakdown defenses in the manner manager Mutebi often prefers, the lanky player has been an ever reliable presence on KCCA’s left side to offer an attacking option.
So was the case on Saturday as the St. George defense, like many teams in the league can attest, fell prey to yet another accurate delivery.
Two minutes into the second half, Kizza received a pass from a short corner before a brief glance forward was followed by the now customary delicious delivery that was met by the on-rushing Muhammad Shaban.
If the goal can be described as worth shs2b, Kizza could claim half that amount. He also provided the assist for Paul Mucureezi’s thumping header that sealed progress to this round and has now provided a season high 17 assists with 10 coming in the league and two for the Under-20 national team.
“Ochaya has been my biggest influence so far,” the soft spoken Kizza revealed after the game.
The former who was barely noticed by the club’s fans on Saturday also revealed a close relationship with his replacement who has been added more responsibility by Isaac Muleme’s departure.
“I told him to pick the good aspects of my game and I am glad he is following suit. We talk before each and after every game and he is a good learner,” Ochaya further said of the former Zebra, KJL,Sparta 09 junior player.
While he is still a work in progress, it has been a stellar year for the KCCA under-17 graduate who made his competitive debut against Bright Stars in April last season.
He was U17 team captain as KCCA reached the finals in 2016 before being loaned out to then Big League side Maroons at the start of the season.
His displays for Maroons prompted Mutebi to recall him before he elevated the player to the senior team in January.

His season assists

10 assists in 11 league games
2 assits in Uganda Cup
2 assists in Champions league
3 assists for Under-20 team)