Distracted Eagles left reeling
Crisis? Express CEO Isaac Mwesigwa has his work cut out. PHOTO | EDDIE CHICCO
This was supposed to be a good time to be an Express fan after the club clinched their first league title since 2012 before also going on to claim a first regional Cecafa title in August.
But two games into the new Uganda Premier League season, not all seems well with the seven-time champions.
The Red Eagles on Saturday suffered a second consecutive defeat, falling 1-0 to UPDF in Bombo.
Many optimists will not want to view the two results as indication of a bigger problem with the team also losing to the army side last season.
They also missed several goal scoring chances in the 2-0 defeat to Arua Hill on the opening day.
And while losing six points might not constitute a crisis by any measure, the worrying trend is they do not seem to have recovered the most important ingredient from last season: grit.
The trait has been missing in the two games the Red Eagles have played thus far yet they are usually the cornerstone of all Wasswa Bbosa coached sides.
The manner in which Arua Hill’s Alfred Leku toyed with the Express backline of Murushid Juuko and Isa Lumu was rarely evident as Express conceded just seven first round league goals and 13 overall last season.
Star striker Eric Kambale, who scored 12 of his 15 goals in the second round last season, appears to have reverted to his sulking past. He was largely unproductive in the first game save for a glancing header from a corner while he was substituted at halftime against UPDF on Saturday.
Ugly public spat
Matters have also not been helped by a public spat between head coach Bbosa and CEO Isaac Mwesigwa after a breakdown in communication.
This saw the latter suspended for three games for inappropriate comments made during the loss to Arua Hill in which he accused Mwesigwa of conniving with match officials.
This was after they had a strong penalty appeal turned down when Kambale was brought down with the referee instead awarding a freekick just outside the 18-yard box.
Matters have also not been helped by injury to forward Godfrey Lwesibawa with the other wide forward Martin Kizza yet to hit form.
They have some catching up to do with title rivals Vipers fast out of the blocks with a 5-0 thumping of Wakiso Giants after a 2-0 win over Police.
KCCA are the other team that has also won their opening two games after a 2-1 home win over newly promoted Gaddafi.
Ashraf Mugume and Davis Kasirye were again on the scoresheet for coach Morley Byekwaso’s side who still lacked cohesion.
UPL 2021-22 standings
Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1.Vipers 2 2 0 0 7 0 7 6
2.KCCA 2 2 0 0 5 1 4 6
3.Onduparaka 2 1 1 0 2 1 1 4
3.UPDF 2 1 1 0 2 1 1 4
5.Arua Hill 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 3
5.Busoga Utd 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 3
7.Mbarara City 2 1 0 1 3 2 1 3
8.BUL 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 3
9.Tooro United 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3
10.URA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11.Gaddafi 2 0 0 2 1 4 -3 0
11.Police 2 0 0 2 1 4 -3 0
11.Bright Stars 2 0 0 2 1 4 -3 0
14.Express 2 0 0 2 0 3 -3 0
15.Wakiso G’nts 2 0 0 2 0 8 -8 0
16.Villa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
