Sammy Kitula
27 June 2011
Nairobi — To say that Kenya’s 5-1 loss on Monday to Uganda in the Under-23 All Africa Games qualifier at Nyayo National Stadium wasn’t expected is probably understating the case.
Lack of vision coupled with ineptitude and planning by Football Kenya Limited played to the fore as the hosts were humiliated by a well-oiled Ugandan side.
While their opponents have been playing as a unit for the last six years, the Kenyans seemed like a conglomeration of a visionless team, having only assembled four days to the match, which had been scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
“I’m not a miracle worker. There was no way we were to have a shortcut to this. We only had four days to assemble the team and it really played against us,” lamented head coach, Leonard Saleh.
Kenya was supposed to have grown up in this competition. The composure, poise and discipline the local boys needed to give themselves a chance in this game were completely missing.
There was no zip, pace, creativity or imagination and almost no threat up front, more so, when Uganda’s captain Owen Kasule scored the second goal. It was as if the hosts weren’t even set up to give their best.
Silas Shitote started on the right and Juma Abdalla on the left with the impressive Eugine Asike and Gor Mahia’s Musa Mohammed in the middle.
The sudden absence of Moses Odhiambo was no reason to put out an imbalanced midfield.
If the outstanding display of the day came from the diminutive player in the Ugandan number 10, the richly-promising Kiza Hamis, then the visitors can take comfort from a series of healthy contributions.
Snap and snarl
Ugandan head coach Bob Williamson played Kasule, Juma Saddam, Mike Mutiaba and Patrice Senfuka in midfield-four dogs of war whose aim was to snap and snarl at Humphrey Mieno and Kevin Kimani all afternoon.
Hamis, who had a brace in the match, put the visitors ahead with a fine tap-in after 19 minutes, before Moses Arita delivered a reply four minutes later when he was set up by Mieno.
Senfuka was able to stride forward from anchoring his midfield to test Caleb Adola at goal. The Kenya Commercial Bank custodian also did well to beat away curling Mutiaba’s shot moments later.
Fruits of a long journey
But within minutes, the tides changed as traffic flowed Kenyan way. Kasule headed Uganda’s second goal in the 58th minute, before Mutiaba scored from the spot after he was brought down by Asike.
It seemed certain that Uganda would go on to win when Okwi powered the fourth past Adola, before Hamis completed his brace 12 minutes to time.
“These are fruits of a long journey which we started six years ago. Despite the huge win, we will be taking our return match seriously,” said Williamson.
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