Joanita Ainembabazi repaid the faith that the coaches at Kampala Queens (KQ) have put in her by delivering the club’s first ever Fufa Women Cup.
The physically imposing forward is hugely talented but has rarely been handed a lead role or had a team playing to her strength as a hold-up striker.
With injuries affecting Kamiyati Naigaga, their lead striker for this season, KQ’s coaching team led by Ethiopian coach Firew Asefa Hailegebreal handed the keys to the team to Ainembabazi.
She quietly started showing glimpses of confidence in the Finance Trust Bank Fufa Women Super League (FTBWSL).
The goals were not necessarily coming as she scored just two in the final five league games but you could see her teammates trying to find her with regularity. The plan to play long balls and directly could also easily be ignored as KQ were already out of the title race.
In the Fufa Women Cup, which essentially started at the end of May for KQ in the Round of 16, that plan came full circle.
“We have been playing to her strengths as a player who can keep the ball and bring others into play,” KQ’s assistant coach Shafic Mutebi, said in the aftermath of their 2-0 win over Kawempe Muslim in their maiden final held on Sunday in front of a sizeable crowd at Fufa Stadium Kadiba.
“When we lost the league, we redefined our ambitions and tailored them to fighting for the Cup because we still had a chance in it. We had to do things differently,” Mutebi, who also returned to KQ in March for a third stint at the club, added.
The plan
Ainembabazi scored in the 4-1 demolition of She Kasese in the Round of 16. She also scored the lone goal as they eliminated St. Noa Girls in the quarterfinals and scored in both legs of the semifinals against Lady Doves as KQ ran away 4-0 aggregate winners.
In the final, her physicality caused problems for Kawempe’s defence as it could neither proactively win the ball ahead of her or reactively take it off her.
Eventually in the 38th minute, she pounced. Kawempe’s keeper Saidah Namwanje made a mess of Catherine Wujja’s long ball that was headed anywhere but towards goal.
With Kawempe’s key defender Hadijah Babirye waiting on the sideline to be admitted back into play by referee Shamirah Nabadda, Ainembabazi was left unmarked. She reacted to Namwanje’s ‘save’ first with a well cushioned volley that found the back of the net to give KQ a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
“I am happy with the success but I want to thank my coaches and teammates for helping me get to this point,” Ainembabazi, who had stints in India, Tanzania, and three Ugandan clubs before joining KQ last season, said after being named tournament top scorer with five goals and most valuable player.
Reaction
At the start of the second half, Kawempe coach Ayub Khalifah reacted by pushing rightback Samalie Nakacwa to the wing to utilize her speed while winger Asia Nakibuuka dropped. Captain Agnes Nabukenya was also moved to striking and Latifah Nakasi dropped to midfield.
At the hour mark, creative midfielder Dorcus Kisakye made way for the combative Zainah Nambozo to win the ball closer to KQ’s goal.
All changes helped Kawempe take control and create a number of chances but they failed to capitalize.
Eventually, the quartet of Nakacwa, Nabukenya, Nakasi, and Nakibuuka returned to their original positions.
But KQ turned to Loyce Komugisha and later Patience Nabulobi to take the steam out of anything Kawempe were trying to build in midfield. It did not help that the latter also took off Krusum Namutebi, who had dominated the centre of the park, for Mebel Adong and dropped Nambozo deeper.
The constant changes and anxiety left Kawempe uncoordinated that twice in stoppage time, they let KQ through on the break. Eventually, they paid for it when Naigaga raced past Aminah Nakato and on-rushing Namwanje to make it 2-0.
“It hurts to lose two finals but this was not the final edition of this competition. Eventually, one day, we will win it,” Khalifah said of the competition that he is yet to find its way to Kawempe’s trophy cabinet.
Kawempe’s consolation was a best defender’s award for Nakacwa but KQ also had the best goalkeeper and midfielder in Sharon Kaidu and Shamusa Najjuma respectively.
FUFA WOMEN CUP
FINAL: Kawempe Muslim 0-2 Kampala Queens
MVP: Joanita Ainembabazi (Kampala Queens)
Top scorer: Joanita Ainembabazi – 5 goals
Best goalkeeper: Sharon Kaidu (Kampala Queens)
Best midfielder: Shamusa Najjuma (Kampala Queens)
Best defender: Samalie Nakacwa (Kawempe Muslim)