Proline FC begin the second round of the 2016/2017 Uganda Premier League (UPL) season this evening at Lugogo without Edris Lubega, their top-scorer.
This is expected to prove decisive for Proline when they face the high-flying Arua-based side Onduparaka FC. Lubega finished the first round with seven goals, two behind the league’s top-scorer, Geoffrey Sserunkuma and one behind Onduparaka’s Muhammad Shaban.
This has made Lubega integral to his team’s prospects of surviving in this league, where they lie twelfth. And Mujib Kasule does not contest how invaluable Lubega is: “He has been our most consistent goal-scorer.”
But he said that in the absence of Lubega, Fahad Bayo and Nelson Ssenkatuka have a good opportunity to replace him. Bayo and Ssenkatuka have both scored twice in the league, which places them under pressure to match Lubega, especially when placed head-to-head with Shaban. As Shaban continues to grow his profile, the contest between him and Lubega is viewed as one between Cranes future strikers.
The two young forwards played together on the national under-20 team last year. While Lubega made Cranes squad for the Chan tournament in Rwanda, Shaban was chosen ahead of him on the final 23, that made the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) squad.
Such a fact would make their sub-plot for today’s game fascinating. But Lubega was given an extended leave, to allow his body recover after the exertions he had while with The Cranes in December and January before the Afcon.
This has denied the fans a real battle for supremacy. In the first round of this tie, Lubega overshadowed Shaban, when his goal after 58 minutes gave Proline the lead before Rashid Agau levelled eleven minutes later. It was a tightly-contested match, as today’s is expected to be.
Kasule told The Observer that they are too close to the relegation zone to be comfortable. So, they must crank up the points, beginning with a win today and climb up the table. “We must avoid a situation where we are desperate and under pressure. So, we must win now to be safe,” Kasule emphasized.
However, Proline is one team in the first round that slipped when they were in winning positions. In their last game, they led The Saints 2-0 at halftime, only to end up sharing the spoils 2-2. Kasule explained that they suffered from anxiety a lot in the first round.
But he believes that they are going to show improvement psychologically in the second round. That is despite the departure of left-winger Farouk Musisi to SC Villa and veteran Saka Mpiima to Police FC.
For Leo Adraa, Onduparaka’s coach, anxiety is not a problem. At the halfway point, they were third on the log. They exceeded expectations. Although relegation survival remains their major objective, Adraa is confident.
Onduparaka are oozing with confidence, following their pre-season friendly match against Kenyan side Gor Mahia FC last Saturday at Namboole stadium where they won 2-0, thanks to Living Kabon’s brace. Adraa has a fully-fit side that has been camping in Namugongo ahead of today’s game.
jovi@observer.ug