League champions should do better with crowd management

Sad events. Several fans were left bloodied.

What you need to know:

The situation calmed down when Onduparaka players led by captain Rashid Toha went to speak to their fans who had prior reportedly thrown liquor and meat at journalists in the first half. KCCA’s Denis Okot had done the same

KAMPALA.

Having been the most watched Azam Uganda Premier League (UPL) sides in this season, the KCCA-Onduparaka duel was firmly poised to fill the Phillip Omondi Stadium in Lugogo on Saturday.
True to it, a total 11,210 tickets were sold for KCCA’s 7-0 triumph which had teenager Allan Okello’s name written all over, making it the most watched UPL match this season.

By the time KCCA led 3-0 inside 30 minutes, there were still scuffles at two of the three gates into the stadium with some journalists without media pass cards stuck outside.
Inside, Onduparaka, who had ferried scores from Arua, had more profound presence around the stadium.

The Caterpillars’ diehards had sandwiched KCCA fans but with the rare scores inversely proportional to this, violence was on the grapevine.

There was six-minute standstill midway the second half when Onduparaka fans behind the goal at the Game supermarket end exchanged missiles with KCCA fans.

Already agitated by the scoreline, 6-0, these Onduparaka had been provoked by KCCA fans who had come chanting to their end prior.
“It was unfortunate,” KCCA CEO David Tamale told Daily Monitor before the club released a statement. “We condemn violence at the stadium especially when a match is going on,” he said.
Because of the numbers and in fear, those running away to exit instead fell over the fence onto the turf, prompting referee Denis Batte to stop the match.

Some were hit with small and big stones, bleeding in the process while others had damaged gadgets.

Onduparaka goal keeper Geoffrey Lowo had to move to the centre whereas KCCA players moved back to the technical area.
In the stands adjacent to the dressing rooms, tear gas was fired by policemen only for the cans to fall over to the China Friendship Hospital end.

The situation calmed down when Onduparaka players led by captain Rashid Toha went to speak to their fans who had prior reportedly thrown liquor and meat at journalists in the first half. KCCA’s Denis Okot had done the same.

“In terms of branding, it took us down a bit but we are committed to organising our fans,” Tamale noted. “Our stadium has not held such numbers before and it is a learning curve.”
KCCA promise to improve when they host Africa club champions Mamelodi Sundowns in the second leg of first round of the Caf Champions League on the weekend of March 17-19
“We are going to sit down and review with a new strategy. Definitely, we’ll handle the Sundowns’ match better.” Tamale added.