Volunteer Football Match - VSO 1 Peace Corp 5

Match Report

The first football match of its type between volunteers in Uganda ended in a resounding victory for the Peace Corp at Kavumba on Saturday. Despite taking an early lead, VSO were punished for a number of defensive and goalkeeper lapses which the Peace Corp capitalised on in ruthless fashion. However the margin of victory was somewhat harsh on a VSO side that gave nothing but 100% throughout.

The build up to the match was marked by a number of high profile withdrawals from the VSO team that was already lacking in numbers. Come match day VSO could only field 10 players after a number failed to show but two ringers were plucked from the crowd to give the side the full eleven plus sub against the Peace Corp squad of 14.

Conditions were just right with a bit of cloud cover and the crowds gathered expectedly. The venue for the game was Kavumba Recreation Centre which is the new home ground for the Firemasters FC, a Ugandan side recently promoted to the Super League and their manager was amongst the crowd. Game on.

Before the match started it was evident that the Peace Corp meant business as they were decked out in their spanking new kit with football boots all round. VSO on the other hand were mostly decked out in sneakers apart from the goalkeeper Alex who was sporting a pair of gardening shoes (!). However it’s not what you have its you do with it and VSO were confident that they would be able to compete as long as it didn't rain. This is rainy season in Uganda however and after about 20 minutes the heavens opened.

Referee Moses started the game and the Peace Corp were soon on the back foot as VSO attacked with pace through striker Mike Tenywa and attacking midfielder Ronald. And VSO made the pressure count soon after as they took the lead after an error from the Peace Corps goalkeeper Baines-Jeffrey to leave Tenywa with a simple tap-in. The VSO crowd predictably went crazy at the good start for their team but the joy was short-lived.

Peace Corps began to take control of the game through their own pacey forwards and they quickly moved into a 2-1 lead taking advantage of some indecision in the VSO defence. The rain had made playing conditions a bit soft under foot and VSO were lucky to be only a goal down going into the break despite some good goalkeeping from Alex and stout defending from Ripley and Cowan in the VSO back line.

At half-time VSO re-grouped with only one injury worry. Guustaaf had been putting himself about tremendously and was sporting a very Gorbochov-esque graze to his forehead and bruised ribs. Luckily the big Dutchman was able to continue into the second half which VSO began well.

The Peace Corp were pegged back into their own half for much of the start of the second half with Dutch wingers Huzing and Van Gils doing a sterling job of supporting the front men and keeping the Peace Corp fullbacks and wide men busy defending. VSO created a string of good chances through Ugandan Walsuga in the midfield but could not take advantage as first Tenywa, then Asuman and Ronald missed good chances to draw their team level. This was the turning point of the game and VSO were made to pay for their slack finishing as Peace Corp took advantage of a goalkeeping error to extend their lead. As the ball ran through to the Alex, he chose to clear first time rather than pick up the ball and his skewed clearance fell to the feet of Hanno on the Peace Corps team who hit the ball first time fully 30 yards into the unguarded net.

VSO heads started to drop at this point as the Peace Corps started to make their superior fitness count. Peace Corps were harshly denied a penalty when Hanno was upended in the area by Snelling but the referee, a good friend of Snellings, waived play on. By this point Cowan was literally holding the VSO defence together single-handedly and it wasn't long before the Peace Corp added another two goals with striker Bray completing a hat-trick.

The full-time whistle was well received by the VSO team who had given their all but had ultimately been undone by a younger, faster Peace Corps team and the slippery condition underfoot. Peace Corps on the other hand looked like they could have carried on scoring goals and were annoyed not to get more.

Man of the Match for VSO – Cowan. Dependable under pressure and leading from the back
Man of the Match for Peace Corps – Bray. Fully deserved hat trick, involved in everything good going forward for the Peace Corp.