10-man Proline complete double over Maroons

Proline players huddle to celebrate Kizza’s first goal against Maroons on Friday at Luzira Prisons grounds. PHOTO BY GEORGE KATONGOLE

Proline crushed Maroons on Friday 2-1 at Luzira Prisons yet the victory could not take them from the bottom of the table.
The six-point penalty still leaves them with 12 points despite five wins and three draws.
Down to 10 men for the final 18 minutes after skipper Mustafa Mujuzi was shown red for a second bookable offence, Proline held on to win 2-1 courtsey of a double from Hamis Kizza in the first half and Steven Mukwala’s consolation nine minutes after resumption.
Yet those details tell only a fraction of the story of this remarkable match which was delayed for five minutes for lack of pitch markings.
Kiiza’s brace, which came after the referee had just denied Proline what looked like a genuine penalty when goalie Emmanuel Akol fouled Hakim Kiwanuka in the box, saw him poach on laclustre defending. The first goal in the 14th minute was as a result of man mountain Slyvester Okello, the captain failed to beat Kizza for a high ball and when the ball fell to the ground, Kizza punished him.
Six minutes later, Kiwanuka was fouled and Mujuzi took a strong free kick that was too hot for Akol to handle. Kizza again took advantage of the defenders and scored the fourth goal for Proline in the league.
The home fans got a sigh of relief as the relentless hosts pushed Proline to the wall and were rewarded with a goal from Mukwala who also benefitted from James Begesa’s careless defending. When Mujuzi was given marching orders for a karate-like kick on Bronson Nsubuga in the 72nd minute, Maroons attempted several attacks with impotent finishing denying them as Proline completed a league double.

Negative football
Maroons manager Douglas Bamweyana bemoaned the “negative approach” from Proline.
“Even when they were in control, all they did was to frustrate us in the second half. They kept kicking my players and deservedly their captain was sent off,”Bamweyana, whose side sits in the 10th place said.
Yet Proline coach Anthony Bongole was contented.
“I am happy my boys played according to plan. You have few options when you are foced to play about 20 minutes without a centre back,” Bongole said.
But he faces a bigger challenge in the team’s next game as they host title-chasing Vipers on Tuesday.
For Bamweyana, whose strikers need to wake up, the next assignment is away to Onduparaka a team they have beaten only once in five meetings.