When asked which team he would like to play against on a regular basis, an ecstatic Shafik Kagimu whispered “KCCA FC” in a rather chicky and joking manner. Little did we know that the talk was to be followed with a lot of determination and a forecast of the kind of malice (as some would call it) that was to come.
The message from the skipper did indeed reach the entire team and was held in high esteem. The tax collectors have this evening (for the first time in the last 10years) completed a league double against the kasasiro boys in a game that was dominated by the hosts from the get-go.
The build-up to this game was fascinating as football lovers and journalists in the mainstream media shaped the narrative of this being a tough game for the simple fact that the visitors had experienced a change in management.
To everyone’s surprise, however, URA FC threw the kitchen sink at KCCA FC and literally wiped the floor with them. One would even be forgiven to think that this wasn’t a tough game (in its respect). The tax collectors exhibited sheer mastery, so dominant, that the opposition couldn’t leave with them.
The gaffer set up with a 4-4-2 diamond formation in his approach to the game with four changes to the side that played away to Mbarara City in the Stanbic Uganda Cup.
Hudu Mulikyi started his first game since returning from injury, Ashraf Mandela returned to the first team as well while Moses Sseruyidde and Joackiam Ojera were asked to support Mukwala Steven and Ibrahim Dada in attack.
At the start of the game, URA FC made clear of their intention with constant attacks, the highlights being the Steven Mukwala effort that was dutifully stopped by the opposition custodian.
This was followed by a first-time shot by skipper Shafik Kagimu off a Joackiam Ojera cross in the 10th minute. It was disappointing to see this lovely effort only drift wide.
The 28th minute saw Ivan Sserubiri come on for Moses Sseruyidde in a forced change due to injury to the latter. It wasn’t long before Steven Mukwala beautifully shot at goal to find the opener, only for his shot to rise higher than the crossbar.
That was the story of the first half. A half dominated by the tax collectors who impatiently waited for the visitors to pay their taxes as commanded by the law.
Sam Simbwa made a change at half-time which saw Cromwel Rwothomio come on for Ibrahim Dada. In about the same period, Julius Mutyaba almost put us ahead with a long-range shot that was pushed out for a corner kick by the opposition goalkeeper.
With this kind of excessive pressure, the visitors would soon give in as they so did in the 54th minute where Joackiam Ojera beautifully headed home off a Majwega Brian cross to send the URA FC fans around in rupture.
Even at 1-0 up, the tax collectors were still hungry as seen by the solo effort from the league top scorer in the 59th minute but his shot was comfortable for Lukwago to collect.
It took until the 66th minute for us to find the second goal that would come to seal the game. Kagimu Shafik volleyed a Steven Mukwala cross to find the back of the net.
This means that the skipper has scored in both games against the same opposition. He is URA FC’s topscorer in this fixture in recent times, ‘Nowonder he loves playing against them.’
Cromwel Rwothomio came close to a third in the 69th minute with a shot that could just only rise higher than the crossbar. He would have a repeat of the same in the 78th minute. It just wasn’t his evening.
The final kick was in the 84th minute where one of our candidates for URA FC Man-of-the-Match, Mukwala solely dribbled past the opposition defense but only to be disappointed that his shot missed by a whisker.
That indeed concluded this spellbinding tale of two halves. The reality is that the tax collectors dominated the game and as the law demands of us in our jurisdiction, we collected the taxes.
A very happy Sam Simbwa had this to say about this mouthwatering:
“Of course the boys are happy and I am as well. It is always a good feeling to beat a rival and a title contender. It is indeed a good feeling but after today, our focus will be on the next game,”
We also spared some time to speak to the team captain;
“It is always a good feeling to win against KCCA FC, but i would like to thank Allah for giving us this day and the win. My teammates put everything in this and am happy for this win. This is for all our fans.”
Our next game will be at home (The Arena of Visions Ndejje) against BUL FC this Friday 16/04/2021 in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League.