Old is gold as ex-internationals win Kabira Corporate Tourney
Shinning Stars. Team Pro Zone, comprising of former Uganda Cranes players, took the first edition’s honours. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
- Pro Zone’s Hassan Mubiru was named MVP worth Shs350000 and throughout the tournament, they conceded just twice with one in the semi-final against Cipla who produced the tournament top scorer Moses Kifumba with 14 goals.
- But they failed to beat Pro Zone as their encounter ended 1-1 and in penalties, it was tied at 9-9 but when Mubiru struck a beauty of a penalty, Cipla players felt it was a controversial one, opting to forfeit.
KAMPALA. For the new football audience in Uganda, only stories are told of the country’s greatest players. But for the crowd that graced the Kabira Country Club Corporate tournament on Sunday, they must have felt right to attend thanks to an exhibition of elegance by some former Uganda Cranes’ players.
Team Pro Zone managed by Fifa agent Tushar Ruparelia and coached by Ennyanda Sports Editor’s Fred Musisi Kiyingi emerged victors of the annual tournament. The team comprised retired players from the SC Villa class that dominated proceedings in the topflight league from the late ‘90s into the early 2000s.
Led by captain Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko, Hassan Mubiru, Simeone Masaba, Joseph Mutyaba, Nestroy Kizito, Hakim Magumba, Ibrahim Kirya, Abdallah Mubiru and Herbert Nsubuga showed glimpses of what they were back in their heyday as they beat Victoria University 1-0 in the six-aside competition final.
Interestingly, former KCCA player and now Proline coach Mujib Kasule netted the winner before half-time of the 20-minute contest.
More to note, lethal striker Andrew ‘Fimbo’ Mukasa, who holds the record for most league goals (45 for Villa in 1999) in a season, watched from the side-lines. “I want to thank the players,” winning coach Musisi said after the team received the trophy from Ruparelia Group managing director Rajiv Ruparelia.
“These guys are retired but they could match the boys. Most of them were coming from vigil for the late Johnson Bagoole. It is an example to the young boys. They still have the touch,” added Musisi, also a former KCC player back in the early ‘80s.
“Since it is football, you except to win or lose some. We lost our first match to Cipla but we didn’t give up and got this far,” said Victoria University’s skipper Shafik Musumba.
Pro Zone’s Hassan Mubiru was named MVP worth Shs350000 and throughout the tournament, they conceded just twice with one in the semi-final against Cipla who produced the tournament top scorer Moses Kifumba with 14 goals.
But they failed to beat Pro Zone as their encounter ended 1-1 and in penalties, it was tied at 9-9 but when Mubiru struck a beauty of a penalty, Cipla players felt it was a controversial one, opting to forfeit.
KABIRA CORPORATE TOURNEY
MVP: Hassan Mubiru (Pro Zone)
TOP SCORER: Moses Kifumba
(Cipla) - 14 goals
SELECTED RESULTS
FINAL
Pro Zone 1-0 Victoria University
THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF
Kabir Signs EA 3-0 Cipla
SEMIFINALS
Pro Zone 1-1 Cipla
(Cipla forfeited match during penalties)
Victoria University4-2 Kabir Signs EA
QUARTERFINALS
Kabir 0-0 (4-1) Rainbow
Kampala Parents 3-4 Cipla
Victoria University 1-0 Speke Hotel
JMB FC 1-4 Pro Zone
