Uganda: Cranes Stifle Markis to Storm Next Phase

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The Monitor (Kampala)

3 August 2008
Posted to the web 4 August 2008

Innocent Ndawula and Ismail D. Kigongo

No one said that it was going to be a walk in the park and indeed it wasn't. The Uganda Rugby Cranes were made to toil for a 32-22 win over the Markis from Madagascar's to advance to the semi-finals of the 2010 CAR Africa Cup and the group stage of the 2011 World Cup qualifiers at Kampala RFC yesterday evening.

Big-hearted Winger Felix Lubega was the difference for the African Champions with two tries in either half before being forced out of the game with multiple injuries

There were early jitters for both teams with several penalty chances being fluffed but diminutive Anthony Kinene got the scoreboard in motion with one through the woodwork on five minutes for Uganda.

However, the deafening cheers from the patriotic Ugandan fans where muted right away when kicker Harrison Rakoto scored a penalty and Risa Edmond Rakotoamanana touched down to take an 8-3 lead in the 10th minute.

The 16th man (fans) came into play with several boos that partly put the pressure on Rakoto as he boot failed to continued to miss one conversion and penalty after another. It didn't help matters as Kinene fired blanks too at the other end. An unlikely injury to center Brain Jjemba led to a substitution with debutante Jonathan Bishop Onen taking the reigns.

Man of match

With Uganda in the back seat, one-enthusiastic man was thinking else and not willing to be part of the losing outfit. At this moment, Lubega came to the fore, playing with lots of passion and pride as he bustled his way through the handcuffing Madagascar pack to dive home in the 34 minute. Kinene converted it calmly but the Markis were not done yet as Rakoto kicked in another penalty to hand the visitors an 11-10 lead at the break.

The 22-year-old Lubega, however, capped off a great one-man show to ensure -that Uganda got into the lead - one the homeboys never lost till the end just two minutes after resumption. Kinene converted it but it was the end of Lubega after being involved in an unsportsmanlike tackle that had him being stretchered off to hospital afterwards. Joel Kimuli replaced him.

Pace for pace and verve for verve, the Markis matched the Ugandans but the country's leading all-time try scorer Allan Musoke literally sealed the contest. Musoke kicked ahead of the pack and out-sprinted for Uganda's third try.

Rakotoamanana added a try for the vistiors but the tactical nous by coach Yayiro Kasasa and coaching director David Dobela swung the game back in Uganda's favour.

Ronald Mwisaka, Bobby Bibangamba and Philip Karumuna came on as the bench opted for pace and it paid off five minutes to the end, when super-substitute Steven Ogwete who replaced flanker Joel Anguyo sealed the bruising contest with a try which fly-half Edmond Tumusiime converted.

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