Leaderboard – Day3

R. Otile +5

G. Kagyenzi +7

R. Baguma +8

R. Rugumanyo +9

T. Okwong +11

H. Bagalana +12

H. Lujja +12

A. Ainemanyi +13

B. Mwanja +14

It’s brown. It’s bone dry. There’s sand everywhere, and because there’s sand, dust kicks up with your every step. The starkness of the place is almost overwhelming; the par-72 Kitante course is giving golfers a bloody nose.

Joint leader Ronald Otile emphasized just how dry and hard the course is, deeming it excessively difficult.

“It’s hard to imagine how some of these balls will ever stop, especially with the slopes on the greens and just how hardpan everything is out there,” said Otile who returned a 70, could only manage a 75 on day-three.

Hussein Bagalana who returned the lowest score of 71 on day-two agreed with the overnight leader.

“The back-9 is too fast and hard felt like a stroll across a concrete parking lot, it can pass for law-tennis court” Bagalana stressed.

Open contenders, Adolf Muhumuza and Ronnie Bukenya both returned 82 and out of the ten as the majority of the national team players continue to struggle.

Meanwhile 40 golfers made the cut from a course field of 86 as battle for the 2015 gong rages on. 

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August 1st

Africa under-23 Championship qualifiers

Return Leg @Nakivubo Stadium

Uganda v Egypt

There haven’t been many teams in the history of football that have reversed a first leg deficit of four goals to progress to the next round.

And after The Kobs (Uganda’s under-23) side’s 4-0 loss to Egypt last weekend in the Africa under-23 Championship qualifiers, coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic is still smarting from that humiliation.  

Addressing the media at Fufa House, Mengo on Wednesday July 22, he explained how Egypt for the good part of Uganda’s Independence, has proven to be a bogey side.

And indeed, before the recent massacre in Alexandria, Egypt had beaten Uganda six times and lost once in the nations’ last seven meetings.

Nonetheless, it remains difficult to fathom the fact that the last time any Ugandan team, in any category, ever suffered such a whitewash, was in March 1999 when Tunisia beat Uganda Cranes 6-0 in Tunis.

Since then, there have been some other embarrassing defeats like the 4-1 defeat away to Benin in 2008 during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. But the key thing then, is that Uganda still managed to score a goal to make the score a little more respectable.

Besides, it was a group stage game, while the recent one is a knock-out home and away affair from which The Kobs are unlikely to bounce back.

The Kobs’ chances of qualifying for next year’s Olympics in Rio De Janeiro are bleak, just as is the possibility of qualifying for the under-23 Africa Football Championship for the first time in Uganda’s football history.

But they met a Uganda under-23 side that was first assembled in February. In 2012, Uganda had an under-20 team that tried to qualify for the Africa showpiece that year before Ghana knocked them out 4-3 on aggregate despite carrying a 3-1 first leg win.

However, of all the players used then, only two are on this under-23 side: Goalkeeper Jamala Salim and striker Erisa Ssekisambu. Without continuity and stability in playing personnel, good results are hard to come by.

Notably, it’s when players stay long together that they grow in confidence. And with a better camaraderie on the field, even their technical ability improves. But with the tinkering that goes on in the team too, given the fact that some players were fielded in uncustomary positions.

This affects application of players. But at the same time, before The Kobs flew out for the first leg, Micho was hoping that his squad’s strength would be boosted by the arrival of three Cranes stars: Kizito Luwagga, Geoffrey Kizito and Khalid Aucho.

Another one like Muzamir Mutyaba was dropped from the team following news that he is above 23 years of age. By all these players not coming, it’s said the team was partially affected psychologically, raising self-doubt hence making it easy for Egypt. 

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Kenyan motocross ace, Ivan Guya, has set the tone for his highly anticipated clash with Uganda’s champion Maxime Van Pee by claiming that he’ll take Ugandan rider to class in the fifth round national championship event due at Garuga Racecourse track this Sunday.

Guya, one of the fastest riders in East and Central African region and also on continent, is reigning Kenya national motocross (MXI) champion.

He’s set to compete in Uganda’s fifth national championship round event as guest rider on Sunday, July 26.

And after confirming his participation, the Kenyan used one of his social media platforms this week to issue a bullish warning to Ugandan riders, particularly aimed at Van Pee, the local kingpin.

“I am going to teach Ugandans motocross,” Guya said, adding that he’ll show his rivals how to combine speed and skills.

The Kenyan star, who missed the East and Central motocross championship event held at Uganda Motocross Arena Busiika in April, has assured local fans of entertainment on the track.

However, former Ugandan champion and national team captain, Arthur Blick Jr has said Van Pee will outwit the Kenyan rider.

“We’re happy that Guya is coming after his father agreed and I believe Maxime has what it takes to tame him,” Blick commented on the highly anticipated battle of wits between Van Pee and Guya in the MXI category.

Guya will lead a Kenyan team comprising of Ngugi Waweru, Rolf and Dekker Kihara in the event.

That said, local riders will be in real competition for national team places while scoring championship points in respective MXI, MX2, MX 85cc, MX 65cc, Seniors’ and Juniors’ class categories at the same time.

A team of best performing riders from each category will be selected after the event to represent Uganda in the African motocross championships due next month in Zimbabwe.

Currently, Van Pee (230pts), Ali Omar Yasser (204pts), Fortune Ssentamu (226pts) and Waleed Omar (237pts) lead the title race in MXI, MX2, 85cc and 65cc classes respectively after four rounds. After Sunday’s event, riders will have three rounds left to wind up the season calendar.

Blick, who is gunning for a domestic motorsport treble in rallying, MXI and 4WD competitions, trails Van Pee by 35points in the MXI title race. 

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