A new country, new club, new league, new players have all proved to be an exciting combination for Burundian coach Belyse Ininahazwe.
The former Burundi national team defender has taken to life in She Corporate’s dugout like a duck to water leading them to the top of the Finance Trust Bank Fufa Women Super League (FTBFWSL) table with 13 points in her first five games.
She Corporate are joined at the top by their visitors this Sunday at Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru – Kawempe Muslim.
It is a grudge match in many ways and that is why it is a proper test for the ambitions of both clubs.
“The ambitions for every game are the same for us, to win,” Ininahazwe said at a press conference organised by league sponsors Finance Trust Bank to recognise her as coach of the month (October) on Tuesday.
Ininahazwe lands into several subplots between the sides. Kawempe right back Amina Nakato joined from She Corporate and will be keen to show she is in a better team.
On the other side, Viola Namuddu and Rebecca Nakato won various competitions for Kawempe’s school and club teams. They will be keen to show, like many Kawempe alumni before them over the years, that they still have the wherewithal to win elsewhere.
She Corporate also have Kawempe marked for holding them to a draw that relegated them from the 2022/23 league to the second tier for the 2023/24 season. Earlier this year, Kawempe also denied She Corporate a chance to play in the Fufa Women Cup semifinals.
Both sides were tied at the end of regulation time over two legs and should have had extra time before a shootout. But the referees on the day chose to go straight for shootouts. After losing the shootout, Kawempe petitioned Fufa and the sides had to play out the 30 minutes. Kawempe won but eventually lost the Cup to Amus College.
“We anticipate a tough match because we are travelling to a side that is still unbeaten, scoring late goals, and defending well. We have to study them more and plan to win the match,” Kawempe coach Ayub Khalifa, said.
Meanwhile in the other match on Sunday, Amus entertain Lady Doves in Kachumbala. Both sides have struggled to show the tenacity of last season but it still early days. Doves are 10th on three points while Amus are 5th with just three more points.
Just below Amus are She Maroons who are tied on five points with their Sunday visitors Makerere University.
Mawejje hosts KQ
But before all the attention and traffic flows towards Njeru, Kampala Queens (KQ) visit to St. Noa Girls Zana at Muteesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku will be the main attraction on Sunday.
Newly promoted St. Noa eliminated KQ from the Cup earlier this year but have found it hard to grind out wins in the topflight. They sit a decent 4th in the league but with a paltry six points – five behind KQ.
Interestingly, new St. Noa coach Tony Mawejje had his “apprenticeship” as an assistant coach at KQ before quietly walking away last season. Can he show his former bosses what they are missing? We wait to see!
Elsewhere, Asubo host fellow bottom of the table strugglers Olila High School at Kampala Quality Grounds while 9th-placed Rines SS travel to 7th-placed Uganda Martyrs HS Lubaga.
FTBFWSL FIXTURES, 10AM
SATURDAY
Asubo vs. Olila HS, Kampala Quality Grounds
St. Noa Girls vs. Kampala Queens, Muteesa II Wankulukuku
Uganda Martyrs HS vs. Rines SS, St. Gerald Ground Lubaga
SUNDAY
She Maroons vs. Makerere University, Luzira Prisons
She-Corporate vs. Kawempe Muslim, FTC Njeru
Amus College vs. Lady Doves, Kachumbala