Wild celebrations covered IUIU Kabojja grounds at the final whistle as Kampala Queens beat UCU Lady Cardinals to be declared champions.
The 2-0 score in the FUFA Women Super League had fans’ faces crumpled and tears began to flow down their cheeks in joy.
Sunday 26th March 2023 is the day the Queens wrote history as they won their first-ever Super League title.
The season, almost an invincible one, saw them suffer only one defeat, a 1-0 loss to former champions Kawempe Muslim.
The Hamza Lutalo-coached team was officially crowned on 29th April 2023 on their last league game, a 1-1 draw against Lady Doves thanks to Resty Nanziri‘s late equalizer.
In the previous season, Queens needed just a win in their last league game to claim the title but the then inform She Corporate FC held them to a goalless draw.
The Nakawa-based team, She Corporate went on to lift the championship, a thing that rubbed Queens the wrong way hence going all out this season, winning it with games to spare.
Kampala Queens had no choice but to win
At the start of the season, Kampala Queens’ intentions were clear that they wanted to win the league with a sounding margin of points.
Achieving such a milestone needs a lot of work on and off the pitch and, the Queens started by recruiting quality players to have a strong squad.
Star players such as; Hasifah Nassuna, Daisy Nakaziro, Asia Nakibuka, Sumayah Komuntale, Jamirah Nabulime and, Grace Aluka joined the side.
Patricia Akiror, Elizabeth Nakigozi, Teddy Najjuma, and Gloria Namakula were the other players who strengthened the team at the start of the season, before adding Joan Nabirye in the January transfer window.
The big names ahead of the new season saw a good number of fans pique interest in the Queens and, this played a big role in their maiden league title.
The other winner was in the club’s enlargement of the Executive and Technical accompanied by a team minibus to ease transportation.
Queens started strong with a 5-0 win
In their opening game of the season, Queens thumped Asubo Gafford 5-0 at home in Kabojja to build momentum for the title hunt.
The money spenders went on to win a historic nine straight league games to climax the first round with a 100% performance.
With four games to climax the league, Kampala Queens were officially declared champions after beating UCU Lady Cardinals 2-0 at home in Kabojja.
The long awaited history was achieved and the Queens were only 360 minutes off an unbeaten league victory.
In the game played under rainy conditions, Queens were dominant but, Kawempe managed to score the only goal of the game through midfielder Agnes Nabukenya to win the day.
Queen’s dream of winning the league minus tasting defeat was stopped by Kawempe the same team they had last lost to in the league, back in February 2022.
As they say, you reap what you sow, Kampala Queens achieved their goal after injecting a lot of money but they did put their guard down after sealing the title hence missing out on the bigger prize of being unbeaten.
What People Say about the Champions
Oliver Mbekeka (Football coach)
“I congratulate Kampala Queens for winning the FUFA Women Super League, and they deserved it.”
To her, they won the league because the club’s patron Moses Magogo who also doubles as the FUFA president is a leader who knows what to do to achieve the football goals.
“The team had good coaches, players, and enough financial support and they had nothing to prove only to win the league in style.”
Sinan Rajub Senoga (Swift sports)
“Kampala Queens were deserving champions with no doubt, a team that had everything to compete for the title and they had no close competitor.”
He went on to note that Queens laid strategies, injected money plus, had the best-organized management and, with that, you’re capable of winning everything in Uganda.
“The only disappointment was that other teams were fighting for places hence making the league weak, I hope to see a competitive title race next season.”
Makhtum Muziransa (Daily Monitor)
“From the start of the season I knew that they were going to lift the title, their recruitment and preparations were far better than any other team.”
The award-winning journalist covering women’s football explained that they had depth and quality in the squad and every player could give her best.
He went on to claim that the team was hungry for the league and that they had one option, to accomplish the mission.
Aminah Namutebi (FUFA Radio)
“The club’s patron Magogo provided whatever the team needed and in time and the only way they could pay him back was to lift the league.”
She went on to assert that the Queens had experienced and good players who had won the league with different teams and they lifted others to win the league.
Shabz Kintu (Divine Soccer Academy Coach)
“With top players in the country, Kampala Queens had to win the league, however, their display on the pitch wasn’t convincing.”
“I think they should have won the league unbeaten and with entertaining football.”
Well, he finally said that achievement is celebrated, and they must work on the display on the pitch to retain the title next season.
Julius Jjumba (Queens Fan)
“We are happy to win the league, our team was the best on and off the pitch. The way how players were managed, paid, and treated was top class.”
“There’s at some point we all witnessed our weaknesses like winning 5 games with 1-0 scoreline, yet we had every player we needed to humiliate every club.”
“We couldn’t even have the MVP and league top scorer from our team, this shows that we had to perform better but just we had weaker competitors.”
FUFA boss Moses Magogo’s note
“Kampala Queens, we are the 2022/23 FUFA Women Super League. We dreamt we have conquered. Congratulations to the players, staff, fans, and the management of Kampala Queens.”
“We are currently the dream destination of the most talented girls in Uganda offering the best conditions.” He added it to his Twitter account.
Kampala Queens will represent Uganda in the forthcoming CAF Women Champions League Zonal qualifiers in August this year.
Courtesy photos
