Africa-Press – Uganda. Vanessa Edith Karungi is hoping to use her chance with Danish side Boldklubben af 1893 (B 93) to inspire younger female footballers into chasing their dreams.
Karungi, who has been captaining and representing Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) side She Corporate since 2018, left the country yesterday to start her trials at the Copenhagen-based club.
B93’s goalkeeping coach and scout Frank Peterson reached out to She Corporate in 2020 after watching one of their matches, in the botched 2019/2020 FWSL season, on Facebook.
He then returned to Uganda, where he had held a goalkeeping course before, in January 2021 after the Covid-19 travel restrictions had been eased to watch the player and other goalkeepers.
He left Karungi a goalkeeping manual, which explains her impressive form at the 2021 FWSL in which they made the playoffs last month, and also monitored her progress through video reports till this deal was sealed.
“This is a great opportunity so I hope to work harder and pave a way for my fellow players back home and also take my new team to another level,” adds the 20 year old. There is little time for Karungi, who had just completed her second year while pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at Makerere University Business School, to settle in as B93 are currently among the six sides in the second tier (Kvinde 1) playoffs trying to make it to the Elitedivisionen.
Karungi never won the league at home despite three playoffs appearances but her career is still as glittering as they come. She made her mark as a penalty-saving goalkeeper at Mukono High School, when she led them to the national secondary schools’ championship in Kabale in 2017. That year, she also won the inaugural Fufa Women Cup with Olila High School after saving three penalties in the finals against Gafford.
Mubs support
Her move will equally be celebrated at MUBS, where she was the first female footballer to benefit from the excelling sports personalities (ESP) scholarships introduced by their principal Prof. Wasswa Balunywa – first as waivers on accommodation and later tuition.
In fact the institution through deputy principal Moses Muhwezi has promised to continue “supporting her academic journey to complete her degree at an appropriate time especially if the online classes and examinations are approved.”
Uganda Cranes stars like Denis Onyango, Isaac Isinde, current Villa goalkeeper Martin Ssenketo and athletics great Dorcus Inzikuru are some of the personalities that have benefitted from the ESP scheme which was only extended to female footballers in 2018.
The institution now has six female footballers benefiting from the scheme although they would want to grow those numbers given Karungi’s success.
AT A GLANCE
Born: November 8, 1999
Club: B 93 Copenhagen
2016: She Corporate
2016-2018: Olila HS
2018-2021: She Corporate
Schools: Kyebambe Girls, Kakungulu Memorial, Mukono High School
TITLES
2017:
-Fufa Women Cup (FWC)
-National Post Primary Games (NPP) – Girls Champions
ACCOLADES
2017:
-Best Goalkeeper (FWC)
-Best Goalkeeper NPP
