Makerere with a result for ages to peg back Wananchi
Worked hard. Mathias Akanyihayo (L) made himself a tackling nuisance in midfield to drive Makerere to a 2-2 draw with Wananchi. PHOTO/ISMAIL KEZAALA
KAMPALA. According to coach Dulf Musoke, his Makerere University Stingers shocked even themselves as they held leaders Wananchi to a 2-all draw in the men’s National Hockey League (NHL) on Sunday.
Makerere have been on the end of some serious beatings from Wananchi over the years so much so that it was not deemed as arrogance when the latter started the match with an attack-heavy formation.
It was a routine Wananchi looking to add to their 49-goal haul in the sixth game of the season.
“The players cannot believe what happened but we talked about what our problem has been in these games against the top teams,” Musoke told Daily Monitor.
“We over respected them and today the plan was to stand up to them.” The talk worked. Goalkeeper Tyson Mugume threw himself at everything. Silas Asiimwe almost always popped up in the right places to clean up loose balls in defence.
Mathias Akanyihayo made himself a tackling nuisance in midfi eld while Brian Bayule ran himself ragged in counter attacks.
Wananchi goalkeeper Bosco Ochan was left so exposed that he had no option but to foul and earn a fi ve-minute suspension when Jesse Byakagaba came charging at him in the 20th minute.
Bayule converted the resultant penalty stroke with utility player Innocent Raskara in goal. Before the end of the second quarter, Richard Musimenta had made it 2-0, rounding Ochan aft er another counter attack.
Result for all
The cheers in Lugogo could have blown off a roof elsewhere. There were chances for Harold Ntale and Philemon Ndyamuhaki to kill off the game in the second half but they did not. And when you don’t kill off Wananchi, they always fi nd a way back in.
Jerome Owori scored twice within one minute to salvage a point but Wananchi rivals Weatherhead and Stallions celebrated the result wildly. For them, a bit of damage had been done.
The two sides, level on 10 points, had also just played out a 2-2 draw with Weatherhead coming twice from behind.
Tough weekend for Wananchi Erina Nabukeera scored five goals as Weatherhead Gazelles beat Makerere Eagles 10-0 on Sunday to record their fi rst win of the season in the women’s league.
Anita Atim scored four while Hilda Balondemu opened the scoring for Gazelles. On Saturday, KHC Swans beat Wananchi HDF (Hockey Dreams Foundation) 5-0 – thanks to Sandra Namusoke’s hattrick and Margaret Nassiwa and Angella Nakintu goals. Wananchi’s weekend woes started early as Deliverance Church of Uganda (DCU)
also fi nally stood up to them in a 1-1 draw.
Peace Anyango opened the scoring in the 18th minute to give Wananchi momentum but Lucky Akello converted a 49th minute penalty corner to salvage a point and keep DCU at the top of the table with 13 points.
