FWSL openers: Hits and misses

The 2024/25 Fufa Women's Super League (FWSL) got off to a flyer on Friday.

Six games in three days produced nine goals and seven different scorers. Three of the matches ended in stalemates.

Nabukenya ruthless

Agnes Nabukenya looked fresh and rested. She started from where she left off last season as her hattrick guided defending champions Kawempe Muslim to a 3-0 home win over perennial slow starters Rines on Sunday. 

Her first was a penalty after Phionah Nabulime was brought down in the box.  She then headed in Shadia Nabirye's cross to give a 2-0 halftime lead and then raced through the middle of the park to slot home the third.

Bulega returns

Newcomers Amus College made a late revelation that they had handed the reins to former Crested Cranes coach Faridah Bulega and she returned with a bang beating Olila High School 1-0 in the Teso derby.

Shafiga Tamisi scored the lone goal as Amus recorded their first ever win in the FWSL. But it was also a huge moment for Bulega, who last coached in the topflight at Kampala Queens (KQ) in 2020, when she juggled the role with the national team Crested Cranes job.

She attended a coaching course in Nairobi in 2022 after losing the Crested Cranes job and has not coached at the top level since.

Wakiso could build around defence

Earlier on Friday, a Wakiso Hill side that is under reconstruction by coaches Rodgers Nkugwa and Rajab Buyinza stole the headlines by holding KQ to a 1-all draw at MTN Omondi, Lugogo.

The Wakiso defence marshalled by captain Faridah Namirimu, who played as a left back last season, happily soaked the pressure of a star-studded KQ side and were only broken by a Shamusa Najjuma goal in the 62nd minute.

Fortunately for them, Judith Mawuwa equalized almost at the death from a freekick after KQ fullback Esther Namusoke handled the ball from over 30 yards out.

If an inexperienced Wakiso side managed to keep former champions and last season’s second best team KQ at bay for so long in an away game, then they have it within them to build a solid backline.

She Corporate battle hard

The old grinding She Corporate that won a title in 2022 is back. If anyone thought that last season’s run to the second tier Fufa Women Elite League (FWEL) title was a case of them being a big fish in a small pond, think again. And while at it, remember that they beat some FWSL sides including KQ en route to winning the 2024 Fufa Women Cup too.

That fighting spirit was on from the moment Whisper Alomo scored an early goal to give them a 1-0 lead, and later win, over Uganda Martyrs High School Lubaga (UMHS), who were also getting accustomed to their new home in Bugolobi.

UMHS did everything possible to score but Corporate relished the battle with the hosts’ forwards and came out on top.

The misses

Nambasa as a winger

The only questionable decision from UMHS’ lineup was the decision to start Jackie Mbekeka Nambasa as a winger and leave out Sharon Kanyiginya, who has played in such a position before with better success. Understandably, Martyrs are short on options in attack but even Angel Auki Kigongo is by far a better forward than Nambasa, who is actually a stead full back.

KQ lack identity

KQ say they want to be a model club but sometimes, one would be forgiven for thinking the efforts and dreams are at parallels.

Against Wakiso, most of the players including defenders seemed to go for glory for the better part of the game, shooting aimlessly and from defence.

It took a few harsh words from Zaina Nandede to new signing Najjuma for them to change and start playing as a team. Eventually, coach Charles Ayiekoh withdrew Catherine Nagadya, who was struggling to make any noteworthy contributions at the half hour mark for another new signing Sumaiyah Nalumu. Nalumu and Najjuma combined for the goal.

In one match, Ayiekoh tried Nandede, Nagadya, and Najjuma as strikers and none seemed to relish the role. The former two love to run with the ball in space while the latter loves to be involved in play and shoot from distance.

With so many stars, the coach seems forced to just field any 11 to keep them happy. 

Finance Trust Women Super League 

Results

Kampala Queens 1-1 Wakiso Hill

UMHS Lubaga 0-1 She Corporate 

Olila HS 0-1 Amus College

Lady Doves 1-1 Tooro Queens

Kawempe Muslim 3-0 Rines SS

Makerere University 0-0 She Maroons