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The Caterpillars boosted their hopes of StarTimes Uganda Premier League survival as Rashid Okocha’s goal in added time snatched a 2-1 victory at the Green Light Stadium on Saturday.
Onduparaka FC head coach Steven Bogere urged his side to show the same level of spirit and determination they demonstrated against Gadaffi FC in their 11 remaining games.
The Caterpillars boosted their hopes of StarTimes Uganda Premier League survival as Rashid Okocha’s goal in added time snatched a 2-1 victory at the Green Light Stadium on Saturday.
After the game, Bogere said he was proud of his side’s performance, declaring that ‘the battle for survival starts now’ insisting that they must stay ‘level-headed’.
Bogere told Pulse Sports: “This was special. We played brilliantly, everyone dug in. The players I felt outdid themselves. The fans were incredible and were in the middle of it.”
“It was a bouncing evening, and proud performance from us, and our season starts now. This place should be a hard place to come again.”
“If we get to this level every game, then am sure we can beat the drop, we can dig ourselves out of this. I want to promise we are starting now,” he declared.
“However, amidst all this, we have to keep level-headed and we have to go with the same spirit every game.”
Bogere is performing miracles slowly with the Caterpillars. His new recruits William Gamma – voted man of the match, Dominic Abonga and Ezra Bida proving their pedigree against Gadaffi.
Despite their recent woes, they flew out of the blocks and reaped rewards for their strong start, Bida putting them ahead inside 15 minutes with a clean finish from the centre of the penalty area.
Gadaffi drew level seven minutes into the second half, from a well-constructed and executed move. Johnson Odong’s setting up Steven Munguchi with the curling his effort into the top left corner.
Gadaffi’s equaliser didn’t deter Onduparaka, and Bogere’s team once again looked the stronger side, specifically after the introduction of Denis Ojara and Ivan Ssekazza.
Ssekazza had two penalty appeals waved off by the referee, while Ojara’s power and direct play provided Bida with more space to run in and dictate play.
Bida drew a top save from Joel Mutakubwa, while Abonga drilled his shot just wide of the upright.
Onduparaka’s relentless efforts paid off in the second minute of added time when Okocha’s low shot fizzled through Mutakubwa’s legs at the near post.
The result takes Onduparaka’s points tally to 10, two points away from safety.
Onduparaka’s immediate task will be in the Stanbic Uganda Cup where they play the winner between SC Villa and BUL FC before visiting Express at the Muteesa II Stadium in Wankulukuku.
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