She Corporate rise above the tide to control FWSL title race

For some parts of the season, the teams in the Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) have looked like they could all do without winning this year’s title.

However, She Corporate have risen above that by ensuring they do not lose any match in the first round of the season, where they have collected 21 points from a possible 27.

In a league, where it looks like every team can drop points to any team, especially as there have been 16 draws in 45 matches, that is a commendable haul.

Their draws to bottom-placed sides Rines SS and She Maroons were a concern but fortunately for the Sharks, they bounced back immediately with wins on both occasions and other teams have done worse.
Kampala Queens (KQ), who are among those leading the chase have collected 16 points and have managed to beat both basement sides but they have not won any of their four home games – more like the record four-time topflight champions Kawempe Muslim.

Top scorers
Uganda Christian University (UCU) Lady Cardinals looked like the team to beat at the start of the season. They have captain Hasifah Nassuna chasing a total of 100 league goals in seven seasons and currently on 97.

But UCU, who alongside Corporate have scored the most goals (12), have won just once in their last six games – recently needing a stoppage time equalizer from Nassuna to secure a draw against Rines. 
In a league, where many teams are struggling for a target man, Nassuna is second on the scoring charts alongside KQ’s Margaret Kunihira with five goals while Grace Aluka, whom Olila have converted from defender to striker, leads with six.

Postponements
Hope lies with Uganda Martys High School (UMHS) who got to the official end of the first round with two games in hand against Rines and Kawempe but beat the latter 3-1 on Wednesday to move to 16 points in eight games.

Their games were postponed due to U-17 national women’s team engagements, where the bulk of players came from UMHS and Kawempe. But it looks like we are not yet done with these deferrals.
While the drawing of the second round fixtures took care of the upcoming Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) games, the organisers forgot about the Cecafa Women Championships that are due May 22 to June 2 at Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru.

The league will certainly not end on June 11 as the fixtures show. Yet the national team Crested Cranes will also need ample time in June to prepare for the Africa Women Cup of Nations due July 3-23 in Morocco.

Relegation fight
Meanwhile at the bottom, Rines and She Maroons look primed for the drop but the former have had encouraging results like the win against Kawempe plus those aforementioned draws against Corporate and UCU.

If they can master consistency, Rines should be able to drag Lady Doves or Tooro Queens back into the fight.

Tooro have drawn in six of their nine matches and have nine points. They also account for three of the seven goalless draws in the league. 

Doves, on the other end, are the worst defending champions the topflight has seen since its inception in 2014 as they are only three points above the drop zone and their coaches Rajab Buyinza and Trevor Kavuma have already declared this “a transitional season.”

Word got to the players – who include experienced national team mainstays like Fazila Ikwaput, Riticia Nabbosa, Spencer Nakacwa and Norah Alupo – and some of them have played in the round gone by like they have downed their tools.

Moments of the season

Nabbosa’s itchy palms
Nabbosa had a moment of infamy and a show of a lack of sportsmanship when she slapped her teammate and budding goalkeeper Agatha Adongo for conceding from freekick in their 2-1 loss to She Corporate.
While her club suspended her for six days that included a match against Olila and stripped her of the armband for one month, Fufa treated that like a slap on the wrist by tripling her suspension.

Khalifa fined
While Nabbosa escaped with a suspended fine of Shs500,000, Kawempe coach Ayub Khalifa was not as lucky a few weeks before. Khalifa was angry with one of the assistant referees for awarding a throw-in after KQ right back Judith Sanyu appeared to pick up the ball before it crossed the line.
Referee Shamirah Nabadda offered Khalifa her cards and whistle to take charge of the game. The Kawempe coach earned himself a booking and later a Shs500,000 fine from Fufa for bringing the game into disrepute.

Kunihira’s double
Kunihira was expected to be among the stars of the season and she has not disappointed. The teenager has become an even better threat as an inverted winger.

And for good measure, she scored two almost identical goals against Rines; running at defenders, then breaking to turn inside and leave them flat-footed before finding the top corner at the far post.

However, there have also been beautiful goals like Phiona Nabbumba’s freekick against KQ, Nassuna’s against Rines, Catherine Nagadya’s effort against UCU from a narrow angle and Anita Namata’s half volley against Kawempe.

Bira Nadunga clearance
Another moment of individual brilliance worth noting is that Nadunga clearance that helped Olila secure a 0-0 draw at Kawempe Muslim. Her namesake Sharon Nadunga was sure she had gotten the ball over the line but goalkeeper Esther Akite’s touch had slowed the trajectory of the ball, giving Bira a chance to clear at the goal line. It is as good a defensive piece of play as you will ever see.

She Corporate win vs. Kawempe
She Corporate had done good business in the off-season and publicised their preparations of the season more than any other team.

They looked ready and organised but no one was really sure about their title credentials, especially after they laboured to a 2-0 home win over UMHS on opening day.

A week later, they made everyone believe they are up to something by beating Kawempe 2-0.

Fufa Women Super League

Today | 3pm
She Maroons     vs.     Lady Cardinals
Uganda Martyrs     vs.     Lady Doves
Sunday 3pm
Kawempe     vs.     She Corporate
Kampala Queens     vs.     Tooro Queens

KQ vs. She Corporate draw 
Had She Corporate won this game last weekend, maybe we would have no title race to look up to ahead of the second round.

FSWL Team of the half season

Goalkeeper
Daphine Nyayenga (She Corporate)
Hard to look past five clean sheets in eight games but special mention to Tooro’s Gloria Namakula with four in nine.

Right-back
Amina Nakato (She Corporate)
Steady and consistent.
Left-back
Harriet Muwugumya (UCU)
Versatile, runs from end to end and can whip in a cross.
Central defenders
Margaret Namirimu (Corporate)
Hardly put a foot wrong in nine games.
Aisha Nantongo (Kawempe)
Due to their history and position, it is easy to forget that in nine games Kawempe have kept four clean sheets and Nantongo has been key to all.

Midfielders
Naume Nagadya (Corporate)
Excelled in a double pivot to roll back the years.
Phiona Nabbumba (Corporate)
Three goals and five assists make her the most valuable player of the season thus far.
Hasifah Nassuna (UCU)
Can excel anywhere. Here she is in attacking midfield to allow Grace Aluka a place in the forwards.

Forwards
Grace Aluka (Olila HS)
Six goals and half of them from set pieces. But probably the reason UCU and Kawempe have been inspired to send Shadia Nankya and Samalie Nakacwa forward.
Margaret Kunihira (KQ)
Enjoying a new role cutting in from left.
Favour Nambatya (Corporate)
Started the Sharks’ onslaught and still key to it.