EA Netball Championships: KCCA makes light work of UPDF

East Africa Club Netball Championships

KCCA 67 UPDF 24

KCCA annihilated UPDF to open their East Africa games account in style at Kamwokya Sports Ground.

The match would be the first time we saw new KCCA goal shooter Hanisha Muhammed playing alongside Irene Eyaru.

They showed good chemistry from the word go as they outfoxed the army side to win the first quarter 17-7. The two teams did the best they could in conditions that were rather unfavourable due to the slick surface thanks largely to the early morning downpour and biting cold.

UPDF tried to fight back as they were a team on the back foot, and they paid dearly by losing the second set by 38-10.

Halftime was a welcome reprieve for UPDF who at the halfway mark was nowhere near being decent.

Shadia Nassanga was deployed in the second half to continue from where Eyaru had left off.

That turned out to be a smart move for KCCA as they gave Eyaru a rest, and other available players grew into the match and challenge.

They won the second set by 49-20 and that alone was an improvement on the second quarter by UPDF.

Impressive for UPDF in the second quarter was the fact that they stayed in the contest which is essentially their biggest challenge.

At the end, KCCA took the quarter and won the match 67-24.

KCCA coach Fred Mugerwa lauded his side for a job well done.

“The team played well and we fielded some of our new signings. We wanted to see how best they can combine with others. They have shown that we can go ahead and compete well in this tournament,” said KCCA coach Fred Mugerwa.

UPDF are largely preparing for the next season so this is an opportunity to test out their best players.

“We lost but it was expected because KCCA is a bigger side and my players are just acclimatising to the team,” UPDF coach Andrew Wasswa said.