Wananchi flick up hockey storm, reject Historicals walkover
Battle. Mubs’ Julius Muhumuza and Historicals’ Jjuuko Kwagala vie for the ball. The latter last season warned that his side would not play Wananchi again, a threat they seem to have followed through. PHOTO / ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
- The heavy scores, sub-par officiating and what he describes as match fixing are some of the reasons he has decided to keep away from “a place where you come to have fun and leave disheartened.”
One player who is taking a hockey sabbatical describes Lugogo as a mood dampener.
The heavy scores, sub-par officiating and what he describes as match fixing are some of the reasons he has decided to keep away from “a place where you come to have fun and leave disheartened.”
Some Wananchi players relate with this rant after they felt robbed of an opportunity to stretch their dominance in the men’s National Hockey League when their opponents on Sunday, Weatherhead Historicals, were a no-show.
This is a continuation of a controversial episode from last season between the sides – one in which Historicals wrote to Uganda Hockey Association (UHA) accusing Wananchi players of being rough and threatening not to play them again ahead of a Uganda Cup meeting.
Historicals have clearly followed through with their threat although UHA organising secretary Richard Ssemwogerere hopes it is not the case as “they (Historicals) have not formally explained (their reasons for turning up) again but they keep insisting that Wananchi are rough.”
Many hope it is not this serious. After all, one of the players (Colline Batusa) that Historicals complained about last season, was signed to their younger side Weatherhead men at the start of the season and even played in the 11-0 win over Historicals on April 9.
Forfeiture or syndicate?
Sunday’s issue would have been brushed aside quickly as a forfeiture and Wananchi rewarded with three points and five goals. But the latter rejected the walkover points, citing a “syndicate that needs to be confronted.”
After beating Historicals by an aggregate score of 23-0 in two games last season, settling for 10 walkover goals in two games this season would be “giving them much credit than they are due.”
“Historicals fought hard for clubs to have two teams in the league so they cannot start to choose what games they want to play,” Wananchi team manager Joshua Opolot, said laughing off the “rough” claims.
“We don’t want any walkovers. We are ready to play them whenever they are free,” Opolot said.
“We know that they are trying to help their club win the trophy by fighting our goal difference but we also want the same trophy. We prefer that the competition is sorted on pitch and not through tricks.”
Gazelles climb
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Weatherhead Gazelles drew 1-1 with KHC Swans, a result that saw them climb one place from the bottom of women’s league.
Judith Mirembe’s 21st minute close-range deflection was cancelled by Sonia Nafuna’s aerial shot in the 51st minute to secure Gazelle’s first point of the season.
Then Wananchi’s 12-0 win over Makerere University agles on Sunday relegated the latter from fifth to the bottom of the seven-team log.
Goals galore
Historicals’ no-show could not only affect the title race but in the long run also works things at the bottom of the table, where Historicals are in competition with Mubs and Kampala Hockey Club (KHC) Originals not to be regarded as the league’s worst side. Mubs look to be in a worse situation after conceding 58 goals and scoring just twice in five losses this season.They lost 13-0 to KHC Stallions on Saturday and 4-1 to Rockets on Sunday. Originals, just above Mubs and two points below Historicals, have one point and made their situation bad by losing 14-0 to Weatherhead on Saturday.
