By Daniel Kakuru
When they raided the Galaxy in the buildup to what they dubbed a take-over season and made off with Sabao, one of the big hitters of season 2, everybody thought it was the same old Ghetto brouhaha. But boy, were they serious about their title aspirations. And as the events unfolded yesterday at City High School in Kololo, they proved just that – they’ll be rubbing shoulders with the big boys this season. Having put a goal past both Galaxy and the notorious Elites without response, they now sit in second place – only behind Platinum who proved a formidable surprise package.
By their lofty standards, season 2 was a massive disappointment. Despite their acquisition of the services of Edson who had been named the inaugural season’s most valuable player, he flopped spectacularly and cut a frustrated figure when it mattered most. By the end of the season, there was an insurmountable fifteen-point gap between them and the champions from the Galaxy. Looking in from the outside, it was easy to understand why they rejected their runners-up medals. But this season, they look set to rewrite their story, given the fact that they have the most stingy defense in the league.
The new entrants – Kooko FC and the Cheetahs – had hardly an ideal welcome. Their orientation phase was a baptism of fire. They played a total of five games and managed just a goal between them.
The Cheetahs dropped a stinking performance in the goalless draw against Kasananga, followed it up – not really surprisingly – with a loss to Galaxy in which Joseph Vet bagged a brace. The game that shook all revellers to the core, however, was their two-nil loss SCOGA Select – a girls-only team. For the first time in the history of KISOBA League, we now know there’s a team of men who are so feeble, they will face women, bottle the game and walk off the pitch with a whimper.
The Valiants of the Red Castle returned energised as ever before and held the Descendants of Klep to a goalless draw – not because they intended to, but because the gods smiled a blessing. However, by sunset, when they faced the Navies, the gods were off duty. In this game, it didn’t rain; it poured. By full-time, the Navies were in a four-goal lead and the Valiants couldn’t wait for the whistle to bring the curtains down on this horror show. In order to console themselves, they retired to what they excel at – beer and pig flesh.
The Jamaican Bees, champions of the inaugural season, had a quiet outing. Despite their aggression in the market, they were rudely awakened to the fact that the games are played on the turf, not in the transfer market. They snatched a goalless draw with De Bello Gallico but the Giants landed the killer blow in a two-nil defeat. As things stand, they are favorites, not for the title, but for relegation. Gone are the days when their prodigal son, Edson, touched the ball and played like two or three people rolled into one. His return to their camp is largely likely to be inconsequential.
In the House of Lords, the atmosphere is now more serene than ever before. Perhaps because they have grown to learn and accept their place in mid-table. Not even their newly launched nylon kit could save them when they flexed muscles with the Descendants of Klep and officially became the first team to concede a goal in the new season.
At the moment, Joseph Vet from the Galaxy is not only the most valuable player but also the most prolific forward with a pair of goals. Albert Sickle proved he still has it in him but time will tell how much longer the legend can play at the grand stage.
KISOBA League is an amateur football League played in Kampala. Eligible participants are old boys of Kitabi Seminary a school that has sat in Bushenyi for the last nine decades. The live scores from the league can be followed online at ugandafootball.com while other events can be followed via social media under the official hashtags #TuzeBwera and #KISOBALeagueSnIII.
The writer is a Mugofporridge. He drinks and smokes and hopes to die by suicide.
