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Revita quality shines through in Red Eagles defeat to KCCA
Red hot: Revita against KCCA on Saturday. Photo BY John Batanudde
What you need to know:
- Express’ season could yet end in glory with the Uganda Cup semi-final legs with Bright Stars to come but whatever becomes of their season, the priorty for coach George Ssimogerere must be to surround Revita with a cast of players to complement his marvellous quality.
Kampala. By the time Ali Sabila blew the full time whistle to end KCCA’s punishment of Express, the gulf in class between the two sides had long been established.
KCCA will soon be crowned champions because they are quite simply heads and shoulders above the rest of the league, including last season’s champions Vipers.
No team quite matches KCCA’s quality and depth. Timothy Awany, Mustapha Kizza, Allan Kyambadde, Muzamir Mutyaba and Saddam Juma would walk into every other team in the Uganda Premier League and command a starting position.
And there are compelling cases to be made for Allan Okello, Patrick Kaddu and Suleiman Mutyaba.
KCCA, despite conceding early to a John Revita penalty, brushed aside the Red Eagles without needing to engage second gear.
They stroked the ball around with finesse and always looked the more polished, refined and tactically adept team. But in Revita, Express had the game’s outstanding performer.
It is very uncommon for a team to lose 3-1 but produce the star performer. Signed as a midfielder, Revita has been among the exceptional centre-backs of the season.
Seeing him effortlessly dispossess KCCA’s attackers and initiate attacks was a joy to behold. It is hard to believe that this glorious talent was under-utilising his skills in beach soccer with teams like Galaticos and Isabet.
There has not been a calmer defender in the league. His game reading is exceptional and whenever in possession, Revita appears to have the entire day and night to himself such is his composure.
When Express won a penalty from which they gained a surprise lead on Saturday, Revita nonchalantly sent KCCA goalkeeper the wrong way.
One of the underrated aspects of his repertoire is a fine delivery from set-plays.
Against KCCA, it was evident that Revita’s undoing is playing with teammates way below his intelligence and effrontery. For instance his central defence partner Isaac Mutanga must be commended for his effort, and nothing else.
Mutanga is an accident waiting to happen, never far away from calamity. Express’ season could yet end in glory with the Uganda Cup semi-final legs with Bright Stars to come but whatever becomes of their season, the priorty for coach George Ssimogerere must be to surround Revita with a cast of players to complement his marvellous quality.
