Prime
Kawempe defence in Simba test
Kawempe Muslim defender must be on her toes. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
The Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) champions take on Tanzanian side Simba Queens, who also represented Cecafa and made the semis of the 2022 edition of the Champions League in Morocco.
Kawempe Muslim’s credentials at the Cecafa region’s Caf Women’s Champions League qualifiers face a much welcome test at Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Wednesday.
The Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) champions take on Tanzanian side Simba Queens, who also represented Cecafa and made the semis of the 2022 edition of the Champions League in Morocco.
Coach Charles Ayiekoh guided Simba on the continent after winning them over in two encounters at the zonal level, where he coached She Corporate.
However, squad unrest conspired to see him fail to win the league the following season and he left to join Kampala Queens (KQ), where he also lost the FWSL to Kawempe.
Since Ayiekoh left, Simba has built a strong continental squad. They seem to have heard the criticism labeled against East African teams; that they do not have squads with the continental flavor and experience to compete at the final tournament.
Time for lessons
When Simba missed out last year, they loaned some players to Burundi side Buja Queens, which reached the semifinals of the competition. They have since returned and include left back Ruth Ingosi, her Kenyan midfield counterparts Vivian Corazone and Elizabeth Wambui plus Burundi’s Asha Djafari.
Kenyan forward Jentrix Shikangwa is also back from Turkey and scored the opener in their 5-0 win over FAD Djibouti on Monday.
Wambui scored the second while Asha Rashid came off the bench to convert a second half hattrick.
Simba has also included Congolese defender Daniela Ngoyi and Nigerian midfielders Mary Saiki and Precious Onyanyeshi to their squad.
Simba has, arguably, the best forward line and most experienced squad in the competition.
It should help Kawempe, who started with a 2-0 win over Burundi's PVP Buyenzi, that such a test comes early in the group stages.
Right back Samalie Nakacwa faced some of these Simba players (representing Buja) when she was on loan with Kampala Queens last year and her knowledge should help the team.
Whether Kawempe pass or fail today, there will be enough time for coaches Ayub Khalifa and Moses Nkata, who chose to convert Hadijah Babirye into a defender, to pick the necessary lessons and implement them ahead of the money phase of the tournament.
Prepared
“This is the team we prepared the most for and we are ready to put our bodies on the line to win,” attacker Hadijah Nandago said in a pre-match interview yesterday.
In 2021, Simba drew with then FWSL champions Lady Doves 0-0 in the group stages. The latter won their second meeting 2-1 in the third place playoff.
Djafari scored for Simba but Fazila Ikwaput and former Kawempe striker now with South Sudan side Yei Joint Stars, Spencer Nakacwa, scored for Doves.
In 2022, Simba beat She Corporate 2-0 in the group stages courtesy of goals from Corazone and Congolese forward Falone Kuzoya.
Corazone also scored the lone goal, a penalty, against Corporate in the final that year.
Caf Women’s Champions League
Cecafa Qualifiers
Group B
Monday’s Results
Kawempe Muslim (Uganda) 2-0 PVP Buyenzi (Burundi)
Simba Queens (Tanzania) 5-0 FAD Djibouti
Wednesday fixtures
Kawempe Muslim vs. Simba Queens, 11am
PVP Buyenzi vs. FAD Djibouti, 2pm
