Africa-Press – Uganda. Goal scoring had become of big concern for Uganda Premier League coaches in the recent seasons. Fans and other stakeholders raised concerns about the poor quality of games basing their judgement on the scarcity of goals in the division.
It was the archilles heel. However, this season, in just 38 matches played, a total of 119 goals have crossed the line so far.
That is an average of 3.13 goals per game. All the previous seasons under the current league format witnessed an average of something slightly above 2.0.
Bar for the Police-Wakiso Giants and URA versus Bright Stars that ended goalless, the rest of the games witnessed goals. The strikers seem to be following some SOPs that are alien to their opponents’ defensive lines.
Coaches change approach
December’s Pilsner Manager of the Month, Kefa Kisala, whose team sits top of the table with a dozen points after scoring 11 times, believes that the coaches are adopting a different approach to the game from a more reserved to open play that focuses more on attack.
“All along we [coaches] had emphasized on building from the back and ignored sharpening the strikers. We had to change the approach. Because, for example when you look at our [UPDF] record the last three seasons we were in the league, we had an average of less than a goal per game,” Kisala told SCORE.
The army side scored 30, 26, and 22 goals in the 2015/16, 16/17 and 17/18 30-game seasons before their relegation.
“We decided to concentrate on action in the final third and I think that is what all other coaches are trying to do because you find a team is winning 5-3,” Kisala said.“Teams are taking the risk by looking for goals.”His counterpart at Myda, AbduSwamadu Musafiri, agrees that the coaches have put much emphasis on strikers than defence but warns there should be a balance.
“It is true most of us worked more on scoring goals and less to stop them from leaking in our sides. That is why I have summoned my defenders and goalkeepers earlier than the rest,” he said.Fans effect?
There has been a feeling that defenders are reluctant and strikers active because of little or no pressure from fans.
However, Hassan Mubiru, who scored 65 goals for Express between 2001 and 2003, does not believe that the strikers have gained more confidence because of fans absence in the stadium.“I scored many goals because fans were there,” the former Uganda Cranes forward, who trains Express strikers, said.
“Fans add something that pushes a striker to score more. In most cases the fans actually pile pressure on defences and I think that could be the reason: that strikers have improved but defenders and goalkeepers have more work to do.”
Kefa Kisala. PHOTO/NMG.
Kisala notes that one of the reasons coaches are changing approach is to produce more strikers for sell. “If you look at football, we are turning into business. It is about money and that is [mainly] in strikers,” he said.“If you look at transfer market, strikers are on demand more than defenders and goalkeepers, so the best way to cash in is to create goal scorers.”This, he adds, will help improve the national team’s fortunes as well.
“The national team was suffering because of our approach. Because we were creating good defensive players and goalkeepers but the team wasn’t going far in Afcon and Chan because we were not scoring enough goals,” he said.
The Uganda Cranes scored only four goals at the seven Africa Cup of Nations matches they played in the 2017 and 2019 editions. The second-string side managed eight goals in 12 matches from 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2018 editions of the Africa Nations Championships.
Kisala feels the strikers could turn things around at Chan next week in Cameroon.“They could score some goals this time round and lead the team far into the competition but we don’t need to pressure them,” Kisala said.
“This new wave may not be reflected on the national team instantly, say in Chan this year, but will be fruitful in the near future as we’ll have many sources of goals and high competition.”
Stats from five rounds
Top scorers
7 Brian Aheebwa KCCA6 Ben Ocen Police6 Sam Ssenyonjo KCCA5 Ibrahim Nsiimbe Myda4 Livin Kabon Onduparaka4 Brian Kalumba UPDF4 Joseph Ssemujju BUL4 Steven Mukwala [email protected]
