By Ian Asabo and Israel Kisakye
The 2022 season of the FUFA Women’s Super League is almost here. Various teams are preparing ahead of the matchday one fixture, including Mukono-based, Lady’s team of Uganda Christian University (UCU), UCU Lady Cardinals.
The Lady Cardinals begin their season on Sunday, February 6, 2022, the day they will take on Olila high school in Soroti, hoping to scoop maximum points.
Much as COVID-19 through the newly-created Women’s Super League which replaced the Elite Women football league in 2019, a curveball, the Federation still managed to host the 2021 season, at which the Lady Doves emerged winners after defeating the lady Cardinals 2-1, at the FUFA Technical center in Jinja. This was sweet revenge for their loss to the same opponent the previous year in Bushenyi district.
Of all the top-flight teams that participate in the league, there is no doubt that the Lady Cardinals have the most experienced squad, most of whose team was present during their maiden run to the title in 2019.
The team will be looking for inspiration from 2016 FUFA Airtel Women’s Player of the year, Hasifa Nassuna who has scored over 80 goals since the inception of the league in 2015, to lead them back to the promised land.
The appeal of playing continental football is one that head coach, Christian Magoba aims to win the league with the team this season in order to achieve that feat.
“The aim is to win the league like it is every year. It is going to be a long and hard season, but we are going to prepare adequately in order to try and win. We want to play in the champion’s league in order to compete with the best on the continent”, he says.
UCU Head of sports, Sam Lukaire is looking forward to the season and is hoping that the team can go on better this time around and win the title. “The season is finally upon us and that means we have to prepare the team to compete, our focus is to win the league and avenge the loss that we experienced in last year’s final”, he says.
Radio presenter and commentator for FUFA 102.1 FM, Novah Kibuuka believes that the emergence of Kampala Queens will add a more competitive edge to the upper regions of the table as the club has strengthened in the offseason with the addition of Coach Lutalo who was recruited from the under-15s national side.
Their investment in youth with players from the under-20 national side like Shamilah Nalugya, Nyayenga Daphine and captain Fauzia Najjemba indicates that the team is prepared to challenge for the trophy now. “The addition of players that play for the under-20 national side is an advantage to the Kampala Queens because most of the players are accustomed to playing with each other, a new coach and system will make them challengers”, Novah says.
The 2022 season kicks off on February 5, 2022, at Wakisha playground in Wakiso district when the Tooro Queens host Rienes SS.
