When Yanga humiliated ‘untouchables’ SC Villa
BLUE BOYS: Standing, L-R: Aggrey Bigala, John Mandwara, Deo Sserwada, Hakim Magumba, Hassan Mubiru, James Odoch
Front, L-R: Charles Kayemba (RIP), Joseph Mutyaba, Edgar Watson, Geoffrey Bukohore, Ramadhan Erengesa.
What you need to know:
FOOTBALL. The Ugandan champions was looking for its second regional trophy, having won its first in 1987. But Tanzania’s Yanga FC had other ideas and ended up defeating Paul Hasule’s boys 3-1 on shootouts, after a 1-1 draw.
SC Villa came into the 1999 season on a high. The Jogoos had won the League and Cup double the previous season and with Uganda hosting the Cecafa Club Championship, Villa were expected to stamp its authority on the regional scene. Villa were looking for their second regional trophy, having won the first in 1987. But Tanzania’s Yanga FC had other ideas and ended up defeating Paul Hasule’s boys 3-1 in the penalty shoot-out, after a 1-1 draw.
Aggrey Bigala: His passing and versatility made him a dependable player in the Villa rear-guard. By the time of his departure to the United States for studies at the start of the millennium, Bigala was one of the most promising players on the local scene. He succeeded at his studies and graduated with a PhD and now works as a banker in the United States.
John Mandwara: A journeyman who also played for KCC, Express and Umeme among others. After retiring, he started a tailoring shop near Arua Park. Reports show that he has since relocated his business to South Sudan.
Deo Sserwadda: He was the team’s first choice left back. Sserwadda was not technically astute but his hard tackles and workmanship always bailed him out. Nicknamed Kalobo (hook) because of his stinging tackles, Sserwada is the coach that promoted URA to the top flight division. He is currently coaching Police’s junior side and Kyambogo University.
Hakim Magumba: He scored to give Villa the lead before Yanga’s equaliser that sent the game into post-match spot kicks. Magumba, a pint-sized midfielder, is simply one of the most technically-gifted players of his generation. Nicknamed Boda Boda for his dribbling pace, Magumba was largely unknown until his two-goal heroics against Ethiopia’s Electricity in the opening match of this tournament. That catapulted him to national stardom and he became a mainstay in the team’s midfield. After a semi-professional stint in Rwanda and various comebacks from retirement, he announced his retirement at the end of last season after leading the Jogoos to the Uganda Cup.
Hassan Mubiru: A talented forward with ability to dribble and score, he would also unselfishly create goals for his teammates. At this tournament, Mubiru was the team’s main source of goals but unfortunately, he missed his penalty kick. However, his crossing to bitter rivals Express in 2002 rubbed the Villa faithful the wrong way. Mubiru is reportedly the all-time top goal scorer in the local league. He also played for Denmark’s Silkeborg IF and the defunct Victors. He is currently the strikers’ coach at Express.
James Odoch: One of the most talented midfielders of his generation. Technically gifted and good at shooting with either foot, Odoch played for Express, Villa, APR (Rwanda) and Nalubaale among others. He is currently coaching Azam Uganda Premier League side, Jinja Municipal Council (JMC) Hippos. He is also the chairman at the Namuwongo-based Kisugu United FC, a team that groomed him.
Charles Kayemba (RIP): Powerful and robust, he was Mubiru’s striking line partner but eventually gave way to an emerging Andrew ‘Fimbo’ Mukasa. He died in April 2004 of alleged poisoning.
Joseph Mutyaba: He joined Villa from bitter rivals Express and won two league trophies and one Uganda Cup for the Jogoos. Mutyaba, a decent midfielder, also played for URA and many clubs in the Far East before retiring. He is currently the head coach at Lweza.
Edgar Watson: He was the captain of the team. Watson joined Villa from Miracle and became a cornerstone for their success between 1998-2004. He won three doubles (1998, 2000 and 2002) plus seven league titles, three Uganda Cup trophies and also has a Cecafa Cup medal in his trophy cabinet. He retired in 2005 and went into football administration. He is the founding director at Edgar Youth Program (EYP) and the current CEO at Fufa.
Geoffrey Bukohore: He joined Villa from bitter rivals Express in 1997 and became a man-mountain in the defense. He left Villa in 1999 for studies in the US but has since returned. He is currently living a quiet life in Kampala and Mbarara, his hometown.
Ramathan Erengesa: A Burundian international. In this talented Villa team, most point out at him as having been the weakest link due to his calamitous poor timing of the ball and lack of penalty-saving skills. After leaving Uganda, he played for a couple of clubs in Rwanda.
