STALEMATE IN KADIBA: UGANDA U-20 WOMEN HELD TO 1-1 DRAW BY RESILIENT ZAMBIA
Uganda U-20s face a tough second leg in Zambia after a frustrating home draw. Discover why tactical subs changed the match.
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Uganda stuck to their plan of attacking down the wings. Kabene kept taking a touch too many, slowing things down, while Kigongo whipped in early crosses—but there was never anyone in the box to finish them.
Then, in the 23rd minute, Agnes Nabukenya hammered in a goal. For a moment, it felt like Uganda might blow Zambia away in this FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier at Fufa Stadium, Kadiba. Up to that point, both teams had started slowly. Uganda finally put together a spell of real pressure, and it paid off with that goal. But instead of pressing their advantage, Uganda let Zambia back into the match. The game finished 1-1—disappointing, especially at home, and with so much on the line.
Coach Sheryl Botes’ game plan was obvious. She brought in Krusum Namutebi for steel in midfield and pushed Angel Auki Kigongo out wide on the left. The idea? Move the ball quickly to the flanks, stay away from Zambia’s physical midfield, and use speed to break them down.
That opening goal started with right-back Martha Babirye. She won a throw-in, tried to pick out Sylvia Kabene racing down the wing, and tossed the ball to Patricia Nayiga. Nayiga gave it right back to Babirye, who launched a long ball upfield. Striker Mary Katono brought it down and set up captain Nabukenya at the edge of the box. Nabukenya didn’t hesitate—she smashed it in.
Uganda kept pushing wide, but the same problems lingered. Kabene slowed things up. Kigongo fired in crosses, but with no real target in the box, nothing came of them.
Zambia weren’t just going to fold, though. In the 43rd minute, their coach Florence Nkatya shook things up, swapping out Natasha Nkaka for Lweendo Hanongo in defence and bringing on forward Theresa Nayame for midfielder Lubasi Pumulo. She called it “tactical substitutions”, and it showed.
Uganda looked better after halftime. Nabukenya had a free kick in the 54th minute—she went for power and blasted it wide. That miss stung, because just five minutes later, Zambia made them pay. They won a free kick; Nayame knocked it down at the far post, and Edith Phiri finished it off at the other post. Suddenly, the game was level.
In the 65th minute, Katono had a golden chance after Zambian keeper Mwila Mufunte played the ball right to her, but she couldn’t put it away.
Uganda clearly needed fresh legs up front. Instead, they subbed defensive midfielder Namutebi for Imelda Kasemire, who brought some energy to the middle. But with Kasemire on, Nabukenya had to drop deeper, which took away some of Uganda’s attacking threat.
Peace Muduwa came on for Katono but never really got into the flow, even after nearly scoring from a rebound when Kabene’s header was saved.
Meanwhile, Sumaya Nalumu and Dorcus Kisakye—who had starred against Namibia last round—sat on the bench. Kigongo and Nayiga, so good in the first half, looked like they were running on fumes late in the game, struggling to win balls off throw-ins. Kigongo hit a free kick straight at the Zambian keeper in the 86th minute.
Coach Botes explained her choices: “What we do depends on what the other team is doing or about to do,” she said. She added that Sumaya had been unpredictable in training, so she wasn’t confident about putting her on.
Now, Uganda heads to Zambia for the second leg on Valentine’s Day. They need at least a high-scoring draw to go through on away goals.
FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
African Qualifiers – Third Round
First leg: Uganda 1-1 Zambia
Second leg: February 14
KCCA BOUNCE BACK: KASASIRO BOYS OVERCOME RECENT SLUMP WITH A GRITTY 2-1 BUL WIN
KCCA are back: Discover how Ivan Ahimbisibwe and Herbert Achai secured a 2-1 win over Bul to rejoin the UPL title race.
Ivan Ahimbisibwe and Herbert Achai both found the net for KCCA, either side of a Denis Sewagudde goal, in a win that really should let coaches Ssenyondo and Jackson Magera breathe a little easier.
Zeal. Hunger. Character. Attitude. That’s what KCCA coach Brian Ssenyondo wanted to see after his team got handed their third loss in five games last week, a 3-1 defeat to NEC that stung. This time, he finally got it. KCCA showed all those qualities and pulled off a gritty 2-1 victory over Bul in the Uganda Premier League at Phillip Omondi Stadium on Wednesday night.
Ahimbisibwe and Achai scored for KCCA, with Sewagudde briefly levelling for Bul, and the result means Ssenyondo and Magera can at least feel the pressure lift for now.
But maybe more importantly, this win drags KCCA back into the title race. They’re now sitting on 33 points from 17 games, just five behind leaders Vipers.
The game started off tight, both sides feeling each other out, but Bul looked a little sharper early on. Even so, it was KCCA who broke the deadlock in the 31st minute with their first real chance. They overloaded the right, Saidi Mayanja whipped in a cross, and Ahimbisibwe, timing his run just right, dived in for a header. That’s his seventh goal of the season, and honestly, he’s been one of the few bright spots among the club’s new signings.
KCCA then had to dig in. Achai made a crucial block to deny Karim Ndugwa after a cross from Reagan Kalyowa. But just before halftime, the tricky Sewagudde bent in a free kick that completely wrong-footed KCCA keeper Mutwalibi Mugolofa, and Bul were level.
After the break, KCCA rediscovered their missing edge. Four minutes into the second half, left-back Achai stormed forward, played a quick one-two with Ashraf Mugume, then hammered the ball past Bul’s Ikara at the near post.
From there, KCCA held Bul at bay, sealing a rare home-and-away double over their Njeru-based rivals, who remain eighth on 20 points.
Earlier that day, Lugazi captain Richard Ayiko grabbed the winner as his side edged UPDF 1-0 in Najjembe, giving them a six-point cushion above the relegation zone. And at the bottom, Calvary finally picked up their fifth point of the season with a goalless draw against Express in Yumbe.
TITLE RACE HEAT: HOW VIPERS DROPPING HOME POINTS GIVES KITARA A CHANCE TO STRIKE
Vipers SC stay top of the UPL with 38 points! Discover how Warren Buule’s equaliser for NEC FC shook up the title race at Kitende.
NEC are stuck in seventh place with 24 points from 17 games. Vipers, even after dropping home points for just the second time this season, hang on to the top spot with 38.
Honestly, NEC have drawn more games than they'd like, nine out of 17. That’s a lot of stalemates in the Startimes Uganda Premier League. But this time, their 1-1 draw away to the reigning champs, Vipers, felt like more than just another point. It actually meant something, especially under the lights at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Tuesday evening.
Vipers came out flying. They grabbed the lead early and pretty much ran the first half. Six minutes in, Milton Karisa latched onto a slick through ball from Karim Watambala and curled a lovely left-footed shot past NEC keeper Hannington Ssebwalunyo. That was Karisa’s sixth goal of the season, and for a minute there, it looked like the Vipers were about to run riot, just like they did in their 4-0 demolition of Buhimba last time at home.
NEC looked shaky. Coach Badru Kaddu had seen enough and made two early changes, bringing on Shamir Kimwero and Joseph Dhata for Rashid Kawawa and Daniel Shabene inside 25 minutes. The switch helped steady things, but NEC didn’t really come to life until the second half.
Then, with 15 minutes left, substitute Emmanuel Kulanga swung in a cross, and Warren Buule was there at the far post to head in the equaliser. That goal was well earned; NEC were much better after the break. Richard Basangwa, playing up front, kept his old team busy and even got Bady Da Silva and Enoch Ssebagala booked. Ssebagala didn’t last much longer, getting subbed off after a rough tackle on his former side.
NEC has been busy in the mid-season transfer window. They’ve already added six new faces, and more are on the way. Sam Ssekamatte, who scored five goals for UPDF in the first round, watched from the stands with the rest of the unused squad.
So, NEC holds on to seventh, Vipers stay top, but Kitara could shake things up if they beat URA on Thursday. This title race isn’t done yet.
