Advantage Proline after narrow win
Bonyo celebrates his goal against Kyetume in the Uganda Cup semis yesterday. PHOTO BY JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
- MAJOR ADVANTAGE. Ibrahim Bonyo and Mustafa Mujuzi rose to the occasion to score two vital away goals as Proline beat Kyetume in an all-Big League clash to brighten their chances to their first Stanbic Uganda Cup final.
An exciting Stanbic Uganda Cup semifinal second leg between Big League sides Proline and Kyetume lies in wait if events and statements made from yesterday’s first leg at Nakisunga yesterday are anything to go by.
Proline will take a 2-1 lead into that return fixture at the StarTimes Stadium this Sunday after goals from Ibrahim Bonyo and Mustafa Mujuzi against an experienced Kyetume side.
“For us we know the tie is not yet done. We have played 90 minutes but it is 180 minutes and we are currently in recess,” Proline coach Shafik Bisaso whose team accounted for topflight side Vipers in the quarterfinals.
“We knew the pitch was not good, it is bigger than ours and slanting so we changed the system and played a kind of 4-6 or 4-2-2-2 and played without a recognized striker. We reacted to the way our opponents play not the way we usually play.”
His side went ahead in the 24th minute when the captain Noordin Bunju perfectly weighted pass released Bonyo on the break for the forward to finish emphatically past Kyetume goalkeeper Ismail Zziwa.
Defender Mujuzi then doubled the advantage with thunderous long range freeckick before Robert Sentongo halved the deficit that left him confident his team can stage a comeback.
“We created more chances but I know we can eliminate them in the return leg. Because if they are relying on the artificial turf it is the one we also prefer because it also suits our style. I also prefer a good pitch and if we had played on a good pitch maybe we would have converted the chances we missed,’ stated the experienced striker. He was guilty of one bad miss failing to connect home with the keeper beaten as both teams wasted good goal scoring opportunities.
Prize money. Sponsors Stanbic Bank increased their offering from Shs90m to Shs120m with the winner assured of Shs40m. The runner-up will bag Shs20m while the semi-finalists will each take Shs10m. At stake also is a chance to represent Uganda at the Caf Confederation Cup next season
