Uganda Cubs suffered a devastating start with a 5-0 defeat to hosts Morocco in their opening game of the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at Stade El Bachir in Mohammedia.

Uganda’s head coach, Brian Ssenyondo, acknowledged Morocco’s superiority while drawing confidence from his team’s improved second-half performance.

“Morocco deserved to win. It is not the result we wanted, of course. We prepared very well to try and match them today, but they are a very good team, and they showed that,” Ssenyondo stated.

“They wanted to kill the game early, and they did it very well. When a quality team like Morocco goes two up that early, you have to limit mistakes because every error will be punished,” he explained.

Despite the humbling defeat, Ssenyondo was pleased with Uganda’s second-half performance, where the team showed more fight and resilience.

“The second half performance, we go with that into the next game. The boys showed more passion, more character, and they fought for everything on the pitch. That’s the attitude we need moving forward.”

The focus now shifts to Tanzania, which they play on Tuesday, April 1st, and Ssenyondo believes will be highly competitive given the regional rivalry between the two sides.

“We have two games to go in the group stages, but we can’t look at the last one before we finish with Tanzania. It will be a very tough game because we are harsh rivals.

“We have learned a lot of lessons, especially from the first half. Maybe it was nerves; many of the boys were playing their first game at this level. But we now know what to correct before the Tanzania game.

“We didn’t expect this result, but we have to move forward. Morocco is a footballing nation, but we are an aspiring nation too. We want to be the best on and off the pitch. Now, our full focus is on Tanzania.”

Match Summary

• Uganda 69/10 in 19.5 Overs (Peter Ocen 28, Musa Majid 2/19)
• Kenya 70/3 in 34.5 Overs (Stian Smith 29; Rayan Kassam 16*, Krishil Patel 4/11)
• Kenya won by 7 wickets

Baby Cricket Cranes’ journey to the U19 World Cup suffered another heavy blow as they fell at the hands of Kenya by seven wickets.

After losing to Tanzania in their opening match, Uganda’s hopes of securing a spot in the U19 World Cup are now hanging by a thread.

Having won the toss and opting to bat first, Uganda’s innings never got off the ground, as they were bundled out for a paltry 69 runs in just 19.5 overs, the lowest total of the qualifiers so far.

Only Peter Ocen (28) showed some resistance, while the rest of the batting lineup crumbled under relentless pressure from Kenya’s bowlers.

Krishil Patel was the chief destroyer, claiming 4 wickets for just 11 runs. He was ably supported by Neel Doshi (3/13) and Anthony Ndungu (3/25), who ensured Uganda never found any footing.

With just 70 runs needed for victory, Kenya found little resistance, losing three wickets but ultimately cruising to a comfortable 7-wicket win in 34.5 overs.

With two losses in as many games, Uganda now faces an uphill battle in the tournament. Their upcoming fixture against Sierra Leone on Tuesday, April 1st, is a must-win encounter if they are to keep their slim qualification hopes alive.

Match Summary

• Tanzania U-19 189/8 in 50 overs ( Karim Kiseto 51, Laksh Bakrania 60)
• Uganda U-19 116/10 in 39 overs (Devansh Patel 25, Gurjivan Singh 16)
• Tanzania U-19 won by 73 runs.

Uganda’s journey at the U19 Africa World Cup Qualifier began on a losing note as the Baby Cricket Cranes suffered a 73-run loss to Tanzania at the TBS Cricket Oval in Nigeria on Saturday.

Despite facing a familiar opponent from their Youth Easter Series in Kampala, Emmanuel Isaneez’s charges struggled to find their rhythm, thus failing to chase 190 runs.

Uganda won the toss and opted to bowl first, and their bowlers were off to a flyer, dismissing Dylan Thakrar (5) and Omary Koba Ramadhan (4) cheaply within the first five overs.

However, Tanzania’s batting resilience soon took over, led by a composed 51 from Karim Kiseto off 86 balls and a captain’s knock of 60 from Laksh Bakrania off 111 balls as they pushed the total to 189 in their 50 overs.

Abdulaziz Tandia (3/26) and Musa Majid Ramathan (2/30) were Uganda’s top bowlers.

The chase for Uganda never got any steam as Captain Olipa Gerald (9) fell early, and despite a fighting effort from Devansh Patel (25 off 84 balls), the Baby Cricket Cranes struggled to keep up with the required run rate.

Wickets tumbled regularly with Sohera Richard (7), Kidega Christopher (14), and Abraiz Mir Ali (11) failing to convert their starts into significant scores.

Gurjivan Singh (16 off 10 balls) showed some late aggression, but the game had already slipped away, and Uganda was eventually bowled out for 116 in 39 overs.

Tanzania’s bowlers proved too strong for Uganda, with Raymond Francis (5/27 in 9 overs) and Agustino Meya Mwamele (4/24 in 9 overs) cleaning the batting order.

Black Pirates concluded the regular season of the 2025 Uganda Rugby Premiership with a comprehensive victory over Rhinos at Legends on Saturday.

The Sea Robbers turned a 10-07 halftime score into a 49-10 result as they were unplayable with their second-half bomb squad.

Arthur Opio touched for Rhinos and Umar Duff for Pirates. Ivan Kirabo and William Nkore scored the points off the boot.

Kirabo’s penalty accounted for Rhinos only points after the break while Pirates ran in six tries through Haruna Mohammed, Eliphaz Emong, Timothy Kisiga, Nkore, Pius Ojeabulu, and Jones Kamiza three of which were converted by Man Of The Match, Nkore.

Ivan Magomu was unplayable and had a hand in four tries, assisting on three.

Week 11 Results

• Buffaloes 55-03 Elgon Wolves
• Heathens 57-09 Kampani Eagles
• Rhinos 10-49 Black Pirates
• Walukuba Barbarians 13-18 Victoria Sharks
• Jinja Hippos 23-24 KOBs
• Mongers 28-29 Warriors

Mongers were edged by Warriors in a crucial match on Saturday in what was a ninth-place playoff in Entebbe.

It was a nailbiting contest from start to finish, culminating in Warriors snatching a 29-28 victory.

Winger Robin Odrua’s converted try put the hosts ahead before the visitors responded through Gabriel Aredo whose try was converted by Ivan Longa who would later add a penalty for Warriors to lead by 10-07 at halftime.

Longa added three penalties to extend Warriors lead to 19-07 before Mongers rallied back with two tries from Odrua and Joshua Malik, both converted by Odrua for hosts to lead by 21-19.

Captain Hamza Kinyai put Warriors back up with a penalty but Mongers retook the lead through Cedric Oronje’s try that Odrua converted to make it 28-22 with 7 minutes to play.

However, Stallone Arinaitwe grounded in the final minute and Longa delivered the game-winning points off the boot.

The win was a huge boost to their survival chances in the Relegation Playoffs as they will face Elgon Wolves.

The Relegation Playoffs will kick off on Saturday, April 12 and, like the playoff quarterfinals, will also be played in a home and away format.

Week 11 Results

• Buffaloes 55-03 Elgon Wolves
• Heathens 57-09 Kampani Eagles
• Rhinos 10-49 Black Pirates
• Walukuba Barbarians 13-18 Victoria Sharks
• Jinja Hippos 23-24 KOBs
• Mongers 28-29 Warriors

Uganda Cranes coach Paul Put has named an attack-minded team to take on Guinea this evening at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.

Allan Okello, Travis Mutyaba and Rogers Mato start in attacking positions just behind Muhammad Shaban, who leads the line.

Nafian Alionzi starts in goal ahead of Isma Watenga, who had a poor show against Mozambique.

The backline of Elvis Bwomono, Azizi Kayondo, skipper of the day Ellio Capradossi and Bevis Mugabi is maintained.

SC Villa captain Ronald Ssekiganda replaces injured captain Khalid Aucho in midfield as Kenneth Ssemaukula keeps his place in the middle of the park.

MTN Uganda, in collaboration with Entebbe Club, successfully hosted the MTN March Quarterly Tee, an event that celebrated women in golf while marking the official launch of the Samsung S25 series in Uganda.

The one-day tournament held on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Entebbe Club highlighted MTN Uganda’s ongoing efforts to empower women in sports and bring cutting-edge technology to its customers.

As part of MTN Uganda’s commitment to gender inclusion in sports, the company offered green fees cashback to female golfers who participated in the event. This initiative aimed to encourage greater female participation in golf and aligns with MTN’s broader mission of ‘Together, our passion is Unstoppable.’

The launch of the Samsung S25 series was a key highlight of the event, especially at the 19th hole, showcasing MTN Uganda’s partnership with Samsung to provide cutting-edge smartphones with competitive pricing and flexible financing options.

Customers who purchase the Samsung S25 from MTN Uganda will receive 600 MTN-to-MTN minutes, 100 minutes to all networks, 300 MTN-to-MTN SMSs, and 5GB of free internet as part of the exclusive launch offer. Additionally, the devices can be financed with an initial deposit and monthly installment plans over five months, making premium technology more accessible to Ugandans.

Moses Buye, Samsung Country Manager Uganda, highlighted the impact of this collaboration.

“Our partnership with MTN Uganda and SAGE underscores our shared commitment to empowering Ugandans through cutting-edge technology and seamless connectivity. With this collaboration, we expect to grow our presence in the premium smartphone category by 30%, ensuring more customers can experience the power of the Galaxy S25.”

Speaking on behalf of MTN Uganda Chief Executive Officer Sylvia Mulinge, MTN Uganda Chief Financial Officer Andrew Bugembe emphasized the company’s commitment to fostering sports and innovation.

“Golf is a game of precision, patience, and passion, qualities that align with MTN’s mission to support unstoppable Ugandans in their endeavors. Our partnership with Entebbe Golf Club and Samsung underscores our dedication to both empowering women in sports and delivering world-class technology to our customers,” he said.

The event culminated in a lively 19th hole celebration, featuring top-tier entertainment, surprise challenges, and the much-anticipated awards ceremony recognizing the tournament’s best performers.

Female golfers were at the heart of the festivities, with special giveaways and an all-women entertainment lineup with Malaika hosting and Iryn Namubiru serenading the golfers, creating an unforgettable experience for all attendees.

Below are the winners of the MTN March Quarterly Tee:

Category	Winners’ Name	Score
Overall Winner	Jamil Maningi	66 C/B
Guest Winner	David Tumwesigye	65
Seniors Winner 55+	Tony Kisadha	70
Group A Winner Ladies	Anne Abeja	73
Group A Runner Up Ladies	Rukia Nalwoga	74
Group B Winner Ladies	Esther Aganyira	72
Group B Runner Up Ladies	Peace Hellen	75
Group A Winner Men	Robert Ejiku	70
Group A Runner Up	Allan Muhereza	71
Group B Winner	Nicholas Kebba	68 C/B
Group B Runner Up	Peter Magona	68
Group C Winner	Mathias Kalule	66
Group C Runner Up	Ssubi Kiwanuka	68 C/B
Longest Drive Ladies	Berna Musanabera
Longest Drive Men	Albert Gitta
Nearest to the Pin Ladies	Berna Musanabera
Nearest to the Pin Men	Godwin Murungi

MTN Uganda continues to strengthen its partnership with Entebbe Club, reinforcing its role in nurturing the growth of women’s golf in Uganda.

When the Pearl of Africa Golf Series returns at the par-71 Entebbe Golf Club, there will be more than one reason to anticipate the popular four-day tournament.

For the inaugural leg at Uganda Golf Club in February, the competition was limited to gross amateurs, professionals and the subsidiary category on the final day of the event.

But for next week’s edition in Entebbe, the juniors have reason to smile. The Pearl of Africa Golf Series Tournament Director, Anthony Agaba, says that they have included them in the series of events to inspire the various young golfers taking up the game all over the country.

“We believe that by doing this, we can motivate the junior golfers in Uganda by giving them a platform to showcase their talent alongside the professionals,” he noted.

Coming just two weeks after some junior members of Uganda’s national golf team excelled in the Victoria Cup at Mt Kipipiri Golf Resort, the timing will be of huge relevance and significance to young talent in the various clubs affiliated to Uganda Golf Union.

“We believe that by doing this challenge, we shall go a long way in strengthening grassroots development and encouraging excellence among the juniors,” Agaba, also Uganda Golf Union Vice President, added. Some of the national team junior golfers who represented Uganda in Kenya included Peter Mayende, Ibrahim Ssemakula and Anthony Otukei.

For this competition, the juniors who will take part will be selected based on their skill set, level of interest and recommendations from golf academies or club captains. Each junior golfer selected will compete with a professional group on hole 10 for a nearest-to-the-pin challenge.
The professionals will play their tee shots first, but if a junior lands his ball closest to the pin in his particular group, he will qualify for recognition and a reward.

“The Pearl of Africa Golf Series Junior Challenge is an exciting initiative designed to empower young golfers, foster healthy competition and promote the game of golf in the country,” Agaba further remarked.

The Amateurs and Professionals, meanwhile, will tee off on Wednesday next week with the former competing over three days while the latter will battle up to Saturday. The professionals will have a cut on Thursday to determine the cream who will fight for places on moving day and the final day of the competition, which will be on Saturday.

There will also be a subsidiary competition for men and women across their various groups.

The third and final Pearl of Africa Golf series leg of the year will be held in Lugazi in June.

Uganda’s national golf team made history on Saturday evening by defeating arch-rivals Kenya to win the 2025 Victoria Cup Golf Tournament at the scenic Mt. Kipipiri Golf Resort.

With a final tally of 14.5 points to Kenya’s 11.5, Uganda secured its second-ever victory in the nine-year history of the prestigious biennial event.

The final day of competition saw Kenya mount a fierce comeback, winning four consecutive single matches to close the gap.

However, Uganda’s resilience shone through, with Titus Okwong and John Musiimenta delivering crucial wins to steady their team.

The defining moment came when Joseph Reagan Akena secured a half point against Ebill Omollo, officially sealing Uganda’s triumph.

To cap it off, team captain Joseph Cwinya-ai dominated his match against Kevin Anyien, ensuring Uganda’s overall victory and bringing the coveted Victoria Cup trophy back home.

Uganda’s triumph was a testament to the team’s resilience and determination, especially after the heartbreak of 2024’s rain-affected tie which allowed Kenya to retain the trophy.

This time, under the expert guidance of coach Flavia Namakula and team manager Paul Habyarimana, Uganda executed a well-planned strategy to reclaim the title.

The win also highlighted the success of Uganda’s junior golf development, a vision championed by former federation president Moses Matsiko and current leader Jackson Were.

The team’s younger talents, Mayende, Ssemakula and Otukei played a vital role in this historic victory.

Named after Lake Victoria, the tournament has become one of East Africa’s most celebrated golfing events since its inception in 2016.

Modeled after the Ryder Cup, it follows the match-play format, testing players’ strategy, teamwork and mental toughness.

While Kenya has historically dominated the competition, winning in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2022, Uganda has now broken their stronghold twice, first in 2019 and now in 2025.

Victoria Cup Winners

• 2016 – Kenya
• 2017 – Kenya
• 2018 – Kenya
• 2019 – Uganda
• 2020-2021 – Not held (COVID-19)
• 2022 – Kenya
• 2023 – Not held (technicalities)
• 2024 – Stalemate (Kenya retained trophy)
• 2025 – Uganda

• Wakiso Hill 0-3 Kampala Queens

Kampala Queens registered a commanding 3-0 victory over Wakiso Hill at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Matchday 15 of the Fufa Women’s Super League.

Wakiso Hill’s goalkeeper, Halimah Kasuubo, made a series of crucial saves to keep the match goalless at halftime despite Anitah Namata, Shamirah Nalugya, Peace Muduwa, and Zainah Nandede coming close.

Kampala Queens’ persistence was rewarded in the second half as Peace Muduwa opened the scoring in the 71st minute before Cathy Nagadya doubled the lead with a stunning strike seven minutes later.

Zainah Nandede sealed the victory in the 83rd minute, ensuring a comfortable win for the table toppers.

The match was not without controversy, as Kampala Queens’ head coach, Asefa Firew Hailegebreal, was sent off following a heated exchange with the linesman over an offside call involving Nandede.

With this win, Kampala Queens remain firmly on top of the league with 37 points, while Wakiso Hill continues to languish at the bottom with just five points.

The other games of Saturday morning saw Tooro Queens secure a shocking 1-0 victory over Lady Doves to keep survival hopes alive, while Olila High School WFC held Amus to a 1-1 stalemate.

The action will continue on Sunday.

• Rines Vs Kawempe Muslim – Kabaka Kyabaggu
• She Corporate Vs Uganda Martyrs – Bugembe Stadium, Jinja
• She Maroons Vs She Makerere – Luzira