Time for Lumala's electric promise to bear fruit

Lumala needs to retrace the path he once walked. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO 

What you need to know:

Lumala's career has somewhat nosedived at Kitende only managing to score on his debut - against an out of sorts Central African Republic outfit Olympic Real De Bangui in the Caf Champions League 3-0 away victory in Congo Brazzaville in September.

A sublime exhibition against Horoya this evening may help Vipers attacking midfielder Abdu Lumala ease the burden of gargantuan expectations and a reported hefty price tag. 

Lumala left Mary's SS Kitende as a student for a stint in Europe only to return to a glitzy welcome in July last year for both as a burgeoning Uganda Cranes member and a professional upstart.

Nicknamed the 'Electric Man' for his pacy runs on the wings, Lumala got the most pompous unveiling among the eight Vipers signings in July.

His unveiling included a video of the gaudy player with tinted hair arriving aboard a plane, chauffeured to St Mary's Stadium-Kitende, handed the jersey number 22 by club general manager Steven Mulindwa before promising the entire world to the anxious fans.

“My target is to help my team reach the Caf Champions League group stages.I want to win the league because it will be my first in Uganda.

"The pressure is on me to do my best and make the fans happy,” he pledged.

The winger had made noticeable inroads in Sweden with lower division sides Mjallby AIF (2015), Kalmer FF (2016-2019), Varbergs BoIS (2017) Helsingborgs IF (2017) , IFK Vernamo (2018) and Syrianska FC (2019).

And boom, he rattled feathers with Uganda Cranes under Sebastien Desabre that reached the knockout round in Egypt in 2019 yielding a lucrative move to  Pyramids. A mixed show and a spate of recurring injuries forced the Egyptian club to offload him last year and thus sought redemption at Vipers.

Going stale 

His career has somewhat nosedived at Kitende only managing to score on his debut - against an out of sorts Central African Republic outfit Olympic Real De Bangui in the Caf Champions League 3-0 away victory in Congo Brazzaville in September.

Then coach Roberto Oliveira plucked him from the bench to replace holding midfielder Marvin Youngman who was injured on 25 minutes at the Stade Alphonse Massamba Debat before thumping the ball beyond the goalkeeper off a well threaded Milton Karisa through ball.

That was all he has basically offered since his return - blame it on pitiable form, injuries, managerial changes and stern slots competition at Kitende.

Fans' trust in Lumala's electric promise has gone south watching his rusty Caf and league displays while at times, he has barely made it off the bench.

In Bamako-Mali on Friday, Vipers coach Alex Isabirye is limited in midfield options with Lumala having to jostle for the starting berths with Bright Anukani, Olivier Osomba, Ibrahim Orit, Karim Watambala and Serge Mwenge. 

Already Vipers and Horoya are out of the Group C equation with Simba and Raja Casablanca progressing to the quarterfinals but for Lumala, this has to be the match to reignite a fading career that has now closed him out of the national team contention.

Lumala will also be tasked to lay down the marker in the league, starting with the Venoms visit to Luzira to face Maroons on Wednesday.

Caf Champions League 

Friday, 7pm - Group C 

Horoya vs. Vipers, Venue Stade 26 Mars- Bamako

Saturday

Raja Casablanca vs. Simba, Venue Stade Mohamed V (Casablanca)

Vipers Squad in Mali

Goalkeepers:
Alfred Mudekereza, Jack Komakech 

Defenders: Hilary Mukundane, Isa Mubiru, Ashraf Mandela, Bashir Asiku 

Midfielders: Bright Anukani, Olivier Osomba, Ibrahim Orit, Karim Watambala, Abdu Lumala, Serge Mwenge

Forwards: Cromwel Rwothomio, Najib Yiga, Martin Kizza, Abubakar Lawal, Desire Tety

Lumala at a glance

Full name; Abdu Lumala
Born; July 21, 1997) 
Nationality; Ugandan 
National team; Uganda Cranes 
Height; 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position; forward/winger
Clubs; Mjallby AIF (2015), Kalmer FF (2016-2019), Varbergs BoIS (2017) Helsingborgs IF (2017) , IFK Vernamo (2018), Syrianska FC (2019) and Pyramids (2019), Vipers