By Michael Ainomugisha
Lady Doves 1 – 2 UCU Lady Cardinals
FUFA Women’s Cup
The UCU Lady Cardinals overcame the powerful hosts, Lady Doves FC, in a hard-fought match at Katusabe Stadium in Masindi in the FUFA Women’s Cup. The UCU Lady Cardinals’ final score of 2-1 presents a display of heated competitiveness and excellent performance.
First Half Brilliance:
The encounter came to life early on, with striker Jovia Nakagolo stamping her dominance with a spectacular show of goal-scoring ability. Nakagolo’s first goal, a monument to her individual skill, saw her move through Lady Doves’ defence with delicacy before gently putting the ball beyond the opposition’s shot stopper. This early breakthrough laid the groundwork for UCU Lady Cardinals’ supremacy in the early going.
Despite their opponents’ persistent pressure, Lady Doves FC attempted to regroup and mount a response. However, their hopes were shattered when Nakagolo scored again, doubling her tally with a precise finish. After Winger Pamela Nalugemwa blocked with a header to set up Nakagolo’s second goal.
Second Half Defensive Display:
In the Second Half, Lady Cardinals showed resilience and poise in their half, demonstrating a team effort on defence. Despite conceding late in the game, their defence, spearheaded by defensive mainstays Harima Kanyago, Nicole Atimaku, Sarah Abonyo, Shadia Nankya, and Maureen Mukisa, resisted Lady Doves’ offensive attempts and stayed resilient.
We made our final substitutions as a trio of Jane Nantongo, Jolly Adok, Bridget Mbwali came on for Pamela Nalugemwa, Catherine Nakirride, Sandra Kisakye.
Semi-Final Bound:
With the victory, the UCU Lady Cardinals advanced to the semi-finals of the famous FUFA Women’s Cup. This victory followed great performances in the previous rounds, when they defeated Isra and Makerere in the round of 32 and 16 respectively.
The UCU Lady Cardinals are looking forward to the next round, which will be decided by a quarter final fixture between Asubo Ladies and Rines. The semi final fixture is scheduled for June 2nd at our home ground in Mukono.