URA Football Club has confirmed the signing of Saidi Kyeyune on a three-year deal.

The midfielder returns to a familiar environment following the mutual termination of his contract with Sudanese side Al Merreikh Omdurman earlier this year.

Prior to making the move to Sudan, Saidi was an integral part of the Tax Collectors squad and an instrumental piece to the team offensively during the first round of the 2020-21 season.

“It’s always a special moment coming back home and even better finding familiar faces at the club. I’ve been gone for less than a year now but everything seems already different and that excites me,” Kyeyune was quoted by the club website.

Kyeyune’s rebound to the club is very important to the squad according to coach Simoen Masaba given the responsibilities on the continent in the CAF Confederations Cup Preliminary round.

He returns to the club with experience and character considering that he was the assistant club captain prior to his departure. His combination with Shafik Kagimu is the middle of the park will be massive for the tax collectors

Ugandan Olympian Prisca Chesang ran a Personal Best in the Women’s 3000m at the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships after a downpour on Thursday.

The 18-year-old finished fourth in a time of 9:03.44, a Personal Best over the distance. Chesang was 3.32 seconds behind bronze medal winner Melknat Wudu of Ethiopia.

Teresiah Muthoni Gateri and Zenah Jemutai Yego ran a sub-nine-minute race for a one-two Kenya finish. Gateri claimed gold in a time of 8:57.78 while Yego was just over a second slower with 8:59.59.

Chesang raced ahead on the blue track of Kasarani Stadium after the gun, leading the pack through 1000m but after that, race winner Gateri and silver medalist Yego switched leads at intervals.

Chesang will return to action on Sunday, 22nd August in the 5000m final scheduled to start at 5:10pm.

How other Ugandans performed on the day

In the Men’s 5000m finals, Rodgers Kibet and Martin Magengo Kiprotich finished seventh and ninth respectively.

Kibet crossed the finish line in a time of 13:57.97 and while Kiprotich came home in 14:15.62.

In the Men’s 1500m, Peter Maru qualified for the finals after coming fourth in a fast-paced Heat 1 in a time of 3:48.28. The final is scheduled for Saturday, 21st August at 4:30pm.

BUL Football Club has confirmed the acquisition of more two new players.

The players are Najib Tusaba Gwaido, a defender who joins the club from Onduparaka while experienced goalkeeper Emmanuel Kalyowa returns to his former side as a free agent.

Kalyowa played for BUL between 2015 and 2017 before joining URA, then Kyetume and Nyamityobora.

Each player has signed a two-year contract with the club christen Eastern Giants.

Tusaba is excited to join a club of his dream in the country.

“I am excited to join my dream club in Uganda. I am proud to be finally a BUL FC player and I promise better performances, come the new season,” he said.

The other new faces at BUL this offseason include goalkeeper Hannington Ssebwalunyo who is on loan from URA FC, Saidi Keni, and forward Ibrahim Nsimbe.

The others are South Sudanese international Ivan Wani, George Kasonko, Jerome Kirya, and Douglas Muganga.

Four Ugandan athletes will be in action during the afternoon session of Day 2 of the World Athletics U20 Championships on Thursday, 19th August.

Olympian Prisca Chesang will be the last to take the blue track of Kasarani Stadium at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, Kenya as she runs for gold in the Women’s 3000m at 5:00pm.

Chesang also entered the Women’s 5000m at the championships whose final is slated for Sunday, 22nd August at 5:10 pm.

Meanwhile, it will be middle-distance runner Peter Maru who will take the track first in Heat 1 of the Men’s 1500m at 3:30pm.

Rogers Kibet and Martin Magengo Kiprotich will follow, competing for gold in the Men’s 5000m finals at 4:30pm.

Uganda’s national basketball team, Silverbacks, has left for Kigali, Rwanda to compete in the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 that starts next week.

The team of home-based players and officials left early Wednesday morning and will go into a seven-day mandatory quarantine which ends on tournament tip-off day.

The players are led by team captain Jimmy Enabu. He is joined by City Oilers teammates Ben Komakech, Tony Drileba, and James Okello as well as UCU Canons center Titus Lual Odeke.

The foreign-based players will join the team in Kigali.

Uganda is in Group D alongside Senegal, Cameroon, and South Sudan.

Silverbacks will open their campaign against Senegal on Wednesday 25th August before facing Cameroon (Friday, 27th August) and South Sudan (Sunday, 29th August) in that order.

Uganda’s Contingent

Players: Jimmy Enabu (City Oilers), Tonny Drilleba (City Oilers), Ben Komakech (City Oilers), Titus Odeke Lual (UCU Canons), James Okello (City Oilers)

Officials: Mande Juruni (Coach), Andrew Tendo (Assistant Coach), Grace Kwizera (Team Manager), Albert Ahabwe (Assistant Team Manager), Mark Ssali (Government Representative), Isa Mapengo (Video/Photography), Brian Tuka (Media), Emanzi Ndyamuhaki (Media).

Uganda’s Group Fixtures (EAT)

• Wednesday, 25th August: Senegal vs. Uganda – 7:00pm
• Friday, 27th August: Uganda vs. Cameroon – 1:00pm
• Sunday, 29th August: South Sudan vs. Uganda – 7:00pm

Arua Hill Sports Club completed the 2020-21 FUFA Big League unbeaten, capping their season with the second division title.

The Kongolo overcame Tooro United Football Club one-nil in the final played on Tuesday evening at the FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru to clinch the Big League title.

Rashid Kawawa put Arua Hill in the lead with a brilliant finish in the 25th-minute and it eventually turned out to be the decisive moment of the game.

Tooro United ended the game with a player less after Patrick Sserunjogi was given marching orders with four minutes to full-time.

For winning the title, Arua Hill received a cash prize of Shs10M while the runners-up Tooro United FC took home Shs5M.

Gaddafi Football Club who came third after edging Proline and also sealed qualification to the top-flight walked away with Shs3.5M.

Individual Awards

Gaddafi’s Steven Munguchi who is on loan from URA FC was named the Most Valuable Player of the season.

Arua Hill’s Richard Anyama who was on the bench for the final was named the goalkeeper of the season having kept 9 clean sheets in 13 games. He only conceded seven in the process.

Nyamityobora Football Club forward Clinton Kamugisha was the league’s top scorer with 12 goals.

Gaddafi Football Club secured the third and last promotional slot to the StarTimes Uganda Premier League after overcoming Proline Football Club.

A goal in either half by Steven Munguchi and second-half substitute Frank Mulimi ensured the Soldier Boys earned promotion to top-flight football on the first time of asking.

Gaddafi FC started the clash at the Fufa Technical Center in Njeru on the front foot, piling early pressure and it paid off dividends inside the third minute.

Muguchi dashed to the near post to head in a corner kick delivered by James Otim.

Ronald Bithum Nsumbiano and Otim also came close for the Soldier Boys before Proline who were blunt in the final third would settle into the game.

After the break, it was Gaddafi that threatened with Joel Madondo coming close to doubling the lead but couldn’t convert a one-on-one.

The former Busoga United striker made amends by setting up Mulimi for the second goal that all but ensured promotion for Gaddafi.

Gaddafi thus joins Arua Hill SC and Tooro United FC as the three teams promoted to play in the 2021-22 Uganda Premier League.

Team Lineups

Gaddafi FC XI: Paul Mujwampani (GK), Thomas Ochungo, Umaru Kyeyune, Lawrence Kasadha, Najib Fesali, Pascal Ngobi(C), James Otim, Steven Munguchi, Bithum Ronald Nsumbiano, Mark Bamukyaye, Joel Madondo

Substitutions: Didi Muhammad, Marco Barssey Methodius, Andrew Waiswa, Frank Mulimi, Ronald Obele, Naziru Sserwadda, Asuman Bajjampola, Godwin Kawagga, Willis Otong 

Proline FC XI: Nicholas Ssebwato (GK), Brian Mato, Richard Ajuna, Yusuf Mukisa, Ibrahim Ssendi, Arnold Sserunjogi, Hakim Kiwanuka, Noordin Bunjo, Hamisi Kizza, Hamza Mulambuzi, Rodgers Mato

Substitutions: Shatif Magola, Alpha Thierry Ssali, Joshua Okiror, Ivan Ocholit, Brian Umony, Juma Ramathan, Juma Ssebadduka, Norman Kugonza 

Uganda Cranes captain Emmanuel Okwi has joined the national team camp at Cranes Paradise Hotel Kisaasi, Kampala.

The skipper was welcomed on Monday evening as he brought the total number of players in camp to 21. 

The team is preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers and Okwi’s leadership skills are bound to stand out after the retirement of senior players; Denis Onyango, Hassan Wasswa Mawanda and Michael Azira.

Owki is among the longest serving players on the team and will be part of head coach Micho’s plans for stability on the team.

The team entered residential training at Kisaasi on Saturday and went through their paces on Monday with a double session at Kabira Country Club (morning) and MTN Omondi stadium Lugogo (afternoon).

Uganda Cranes head coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic has revealed his delight at the national team’s attitude and mentality as they begin their journey to the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals.

The outfit regrouped on Monday at Kavuma Country Club Hotel, Bukoto to start preparations after passing the first COVID19 tests.

Micho was joined by the fitness and performance director Franck Plaine, Goalkeeping coach Fred Kajoba Kisitu, team manager Geoffrey Massa and other officials to take the players through their paces.

The team’s main focus was on fitness, stretching and some ball work with most of the local players present apart from those at Express and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) who were at the 2021 CECAFA Kagame Cup in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The trio of captain Emmanuel Arnold Okwi, Yunus Sentamu and Egyptian based winger Abdul Lumala are also expected to join the camp as soon as possible. 

“We have started the journey to the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualification process. Every successful journey begins with a single step and today, we have started,” Micho told FUFA Media.

He added; “I am impressed by the mentality and attitude of the players. I will continue to monitor the performance of everyone as we intensify the sessions.”

Vipers’ captain Halid Lwaliwa was equally elated to return to competitive football after the COVID19 lockdown.

“I am happy to be back to the field of play after a lengthy time out because of the COVID19 pandemic lockdown. I know, we shall all compete well to perform to the best of expectations,” Lwaliwa revealed.

Monday was reserved for a double session with the evening programme at the MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo. Tuesday’s morning session is at Lugogo with the afternoon session for Gym work.

The third and last slot in the 2021-22 StarTimes Uganda Premier League will be taken by either Proline Football Club or Gaddafi Football Club.

The two sides qualified for the promotional playoff finals on Sunday. Gaddafi eased past Nyamityobora 4-0 while Proline had to turn up in the second half to overcome a resilient Blacks Power 2-1.

Gaddafi dominated sorry Nyamityobora in every aspect of the game in the early kick-off at the Fufa Technical Center in Njeru.

Ronald Bithum Nsumbiano was the tormentor in chief, netting a first-half brace and also won a penalty that was converted by Mark Bamukyaye.

James Otim sealed the victory for the Soldier Boys with a neat finish barely six minutes to play.

In the late kick-off, Eria Paul Emokori fired Blacks Power into the lead with his powerful header in the 18th minute, a cushion they took into the break.

It however took Proline just five minutes after recess to draw level thanks to Brian Mato and with seven minutes to play, Brian Umony headed Proline into the lead and the goal turned into a match-winner.

Striker @UmonyBrian on helping @ProlineFC reach the promotional playoff final and the target ahead of tomorrow's game against @Gaddafifc#StarTimesFBL pic.twitter.com/k9eieeCERu

— FUFA (@OfficialFUFA) August 16, 2021

The game (Promotional Playoff Final) will be played on Tuesday, 17th August at FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru. It has been scheduled to kick-off at 12:00noon.

FUFA Big League Playoffs Semifinals

• Gaddafi FC 4-0 Nyamityobora FC
• Proline FC 2-1 Blacks Power FC