The Uganda Premier League (UPL) second round will not begin until next year February 7.
That will be after the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Gabon. Against that, every club should have ample time between now and then, to prepare. However, before that time comes, there will be reflections and lessons picked up from the first round, which should set the tone for the second round in one way or another.
Before the beginning of the season, defending champions KCCA FC set their target on winning at least 12 of their 15 first-round games. This was the bare minimum for keeping them in striking distance of retaining the title. But as the table reads, they have fallen short; winning ten games, losing three and drawing two.
This has added pressure on manager Mike Mutebi, who for the second season running, has had his team experience a bad ending to the first round. KCCA drew and lost its final two league games while in the first round of the 2015/2016 season, they only managed two draws in their final four games.
At the end of the second round last season, they only won once in a six-game spell, yet had shown good form for much of that round. Last season’s runners-up, Vipers SC, are four points less than they were at this point last term. And they have fired coach Abdallah Mubiru, although their goal difference has remained six, just as at this point last season.
However, the ascent of Shafiq Bisaso to the helm of the SC Villa coaching job has brought goals. After seven games, the time when Deo Sserwadda was fired, Villa had scored 10 goals, yet conceded five.
REVELATION
It is difficult to look beyond Onduparaka FC. Placed third on the league table, the Arua-based newly-promoted side has been a key highlight for the 2016/2017 season. This has come on the back of league victories over the title favourites, SC Villa, KCCA FC and Vipers SC.
BEST PLAYER
Reigning footballer of the year Muhammad Shaban has been such an instrumental player in the kind of season Onduparaka has had. As the team’s talisman and captain, Shaban has carried enormous weight, that has included scoring the winning goals in his team’s games against Villa, KCCA and Vipers.
This has placed the recently-crowned 2016 Fufa-Airtel footballer of the year as the league’s second top-scorer on eight goals, in this, his first season in the top-flight. At a reported age of 18, the star of Uganda’s under-17 side back in 2014, has equally been a revelation with a big and daring heart.
In fact, when the league resumes next year, he could be returning from the Afcon. That is how much his stock has risen as a player this year.
BEST SIGNING
Abdul-Malik Vitalis Tabu, SC Villa’s left winger, has been a phenomenon, scoring seven league goals, but also setting up a number for his team-mates. If he keeps his feet on the ground, Tabu is destined for great things, which clearly every Villa fan will hope he realizes while still at Villa Park.
He was worth every penny, especially that he was snatched right under form the nose of KCCA FC, where he had even completed a medical.
WORST INDISCIPLINE
The cliché is that save the best for last. But to Proline’s veteran defender Saka Mpiima, he chose to save the worst for the last day of the first round. Following what had been a fair challenge on him, he vehemently protested, to a point of insulting the centre referee, who decided to book him.
In turn, Mpiima decided to charge at the referee, attempted to head-butt him, hence being red-carded. This left his coach Mujib Kasule livid, as he screamed at him, asking: “Is that how a senior player behaves?” It was really low of Mpiima.
However, it is also difficult to forget the incident involving Villa’s Tabu, when he directed his middle finger in the direction of the Express fans, after converting his penalty. Surprisingly, the Fufa disciplinary committee has never reprimanded him six weeks on.
BEST GOAL
The jury has remained out on Villa’s Martin Kizza since his emergence in 2015. However, his solo run against Bright Stars FC, in a game that ended 5-3, saw him score a scorcher of a goal from over 25 yards into the roof of the net.
He did this while the defenders bore down on him, leaving him with little breathing space. Well, his goal was worth losing a few breaths of fresh air.
BEST ELEVEN
Isma Watenga (Vipers), Nicholas Wadada (Vipers), Joseph Ochaya (KCCA), Desmond Kyobe (Sadolin), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers), Sadam Juma (Express), Allan Kayiwa (Soana), Muzamir Mutyaba (KCCA), Muhammad Shaban (Onduparaka), Geoffrey Sserunkuma and Vitalis Tabu.
BEST COACH
This gong has definitely got to go to Livingstone Mbabazi for the kind of team he has made Onduparaka into. Following his dismissal from URA FC before this season began, for absenteeism, Mbabazi appears to have got his act together finally at the Arua-based side.
BEST MATCH
Without a trace of a doubt, the Onduparaka and Villa game was quite definitive. And regardless of which side of the divide one was on, the 4-3 result placed it as the most enthralling game so far, with an ambiance to match.
WORST SIGNING
It is hard to look beyond Vincent Kayizzi at KCCA. Brought back for his experience, his contribution has left a lot to be desired, being substituted at each turn of asking. He has also been left out of many games, as the scoring opportunities he has fluffed.
The other poor signings have been Express’ John Ssemazzi and Vipers’ Musa Esenu.
jovi@observer.ug