Africa-Press – Uganda. Agnes Nabukenya scored twice as Kawempe Muslim beat Kampala Queens (KQ) 2-1 in the Finance Trust Bank Fufa Women Super League (FTBFWSL) at MTN Omondi Stadium on Saturday.
KQ were actually the better team in the first half hour. Kawempe were only kept in the game by goalkeeper Josephine Nambuya’s saves. These included stopping Shamirah Nalugya’s penalty in the 20th minute, tipping over a shot from Catherine Nagadya, and a couple of stops against Zainah Nandede and Kamiyati Naigaga.
Kawempe coach Ayub Khalifa’s reaction was to take off defensive midfielder Krusum Namutebi for winger Sumaya Nabuto. Hadijah Babirye, who had started on the left wing, dropped to midfield alongside Dorcus Kisakye and Nabukenya.
“You can actually tell early in the game when someone will have an off day and unfortunately, Krusum was not at it today,” Khalifa said in the aftermath.
The message was clear. Khalifa was not taking any sloppiness and his team gradually grew into the game. From a corner at the end of the half, KQ goalkeeper Daisy Nakaziro fouled Nabukenya. The Kawempe captain converted the resultant penalty.
At the start of the second half, Khalifa introduced Shakirah Nyinagahirwa, who is still shaking off nearly two years of inactivity due to a knee injury.
Menacing Nakagolo
Nyinagahirwa brought the software skills Kawempe needed to further disrupt KQ. That gave others like Kisakye freewill to express themselves. Striker Josephine Nakagolo did most of the hard running that the former league most valuable player Nyinagahirwa needed to do and that kept KQ’s defence under pressure.
However, a moment of play-acting from Samalie Nakacwa after she had needlessly fouled Zainah Nandede and earned a booking allowed KQ coach Firew Hailegebreal to introduce Peace Muduwa and Anita Namata for Esther Namusoke and Teddy Najjuma. KQ quickly restarted play after the substitution and Muduwa, unmarked, levelled the score.
Moments later, Nagadya fouled Babirye and Nakacwa made up for her earlier antics with a good delivery from the resulting freekick. Nyinagahirwa’s header was deflected back into play by Asia Nakibuuka for Nabukenya to make it 2-1.
Pride
“Our aim today was to restore the pride and confidence in the team, stop their unbeaten run and then we can look forward to the future,” Khalifa said
Sharon Kizza, Hailegebreal’s assistant, gave “credit to the opponent for putting up a show” and exonerated Nalugya of missing.
“We trust her (Nalugya) and maybe today she lost a bit of concentration. But she will have more opportunities to win games for us,” Kizza said.
The result meant KQ are champions with 47 points and two games to spare as Kawempe, who are six points behind, did not do enough to offset the 4-1 loss they suffered to KQ at home in the first round of a league that considers head-to-head records as the first tie breaker.
KQ were, however, far from celebratory mood as they were locked in their dressing room until Kawempe vacated the premises.
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