SC Villa’s Najib Yiga (R) in action against APR FC of Rwanda on July 15 during a group match at the ongoing Cecafa Club championship in Dar es Salaam
Football has a tendency of being unreasonable!
Even after SC Villa held the more fancied regional giants APR FC of Rwanda 1-1 on Monday, July 15 in their third group game at the Cecafa Club Championship, which took their tally of points to 5, the 2023/24 Uganda Premier League champions had to still wait for other results on Tuesday, July 16, to confirm whether they would qualify for the semi-finals.
The arrangement at this year’s Cecafa is that the top sides from the three groups, qualify for the semi-finals. Then the best second-placed side in terms of points, would join them to complete the semi-final draw. And because there were teams in the last group to play, which had a chance of finishing second with six points, Villa had to wait while biting their nails.
However, what the Jogoos have not had to wait for is their most recent recruit, Najib Yiga, who was released by Vipers SC, following a below par performance at Kitara FC last season, where he had been sent on loan. Yet, since Villa decided to pick him up, he has taken to the club like a duck to water.
Right out of the top-drawer was Yiga’s strike against Tanzanian side Singida last Friday. Playing off the right side, the left-footed Yiga picked the ball from near the centre line, before letting fly from over 30 yards, a looping ball into the top right corner of the goalkeeper, leaving him helpless and glued to his goal-line.
That by all counts is contender for goal of the tournament. If Vipers SC’s supremo, Lawrence Mulindwa watched it, he probably wondered whether it was right to release his prodigy. Well, it is now too late. The young man is a Jogoo now, although on the lips of many people, is where this Yiga has been.
Not that the young man could answer that question himself. He has been overwhelmed by how well life has started for him at Villa, proving to be the perfect replacement for Abbas Kyeyune and Umar Lutalo, the two left-footed attackers that left Villa recently.
In fact, all Yiga could say after the wonder goal, was that as a team, they needed to keep their feet on the ground, to ensure that they maintained the winning mentality at Villa.
But for Yiga, 21, who never scored a goal for Kitara last season, now to be a mainstay in the Villa side, is proof of how he is revived. Credit will go to coach Dusan Stojanovic, whose “can-do” attitude has seen him improve Villa’s players against all odds.
Notably, few would have been excited about the arrival of Yiga at Villa. Yet, looking back at three years ago, when he played for the national under-20 side under coach Morley Byekwaso, who is Stojanovic’s assistant, Yiga was a huge prospect. But for some reason, he stunted. May be, now that Yiga has reunited with Byekwaso, he has about to make the naysayers chew humble pie!
jovi@observer.ug
Source: The Observer
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