Kampani Eagles Rugby Club players celebrated a last-minute try by Victor Baguma against the Entebbe Mongers as though they had won the lottery. But in reality, it was only a consolation in what had been a difficult outing at the Kitante Primary School field.
Baguma’s touchdown narrowed the deficit in a 28-14 loss, giving the Eagles a slimmer 14-point gap to overturn in the return leg scheduled for Saturday, May 3, at Busambaga in Entebbe.
Despite the apparent glimmer of hope from Baguma’s try, the Eagles are now staring down the barrel. A return to the second tier of Ugandan rugby appears increasingly likely.
“I know we’re in a tight spot right now. We have a lot of ground to make up if we’re to stay in the Nile Special Rugby Premiership. But at the same time, we know what we have to do—which is win by at least 15 points. Will it be easy? No. Is it possible? Yes,” said Eagles head coach Cherokee Ngue.
Speaking to NBS Sport, the Cameroonian tactician acknowledged that the team was fully aware of why they lost the first leg at home. He admitted that their defensive performance in the first half had let them down, ending the opening 40 minutes trailing 25-9.
Eagles winger Julius Omongin echoed those sentiments, pointing out that their sub-par defending led to cheap tries for the Mongers in the first half. However, when they tightened up in the second half, they conceded just three points—from a Robin Odrua penalty.
Ngue hopes his side can replicate their second-half resilience when they travel to Entebbe. “Bit by bit, if we stay compact and don’t allow easy points, we can get back into this tie and secure our top-flight status,” he said.
As it stands, a win by three unanswered tries would be enough to keep the Eagles in the Premiership. But that’s easier said than done. The Mongers boast a deeper pool of experience and quality, having spent years in the top division. Players like Cheche Morgan, Paul Angana, William Lukwago, and Edward Kairu provide a strong backbone that makes their 14-point cushion even more formidable.
Still, Mongers head coach Brian Makalama is not taking anything for granted.
“Our worst enemy right now is complacency. If we let it get to our heads, we’re in trouble. We must approach the second leg like it’s our lifeline,” Makalama said.
The former Rugby Cranes international added that while he was pleased with his team’s ruthlessness in the first half, their dip in intensity after the break was a concern.
