Maroons FC goalkeeper Simon Tamale headlined the Real Star Awards recognising the best for the month of May in a ceremony held at Lazio Restaurant on Tuesday afternoon.

Tamale was among the other five winners such as Rose Amaniyo (Basketball), Ivan Magomu (Rugby), Gloria Aya (Netball) and Yasin Nasser (Rally).

To get to the podium, Tamale beat stiff competition from Vipers’ captain and forward, Milton Karisa and Kitara’s forward Paul Mucureezi.

The shot-stopper was so instrumental hence keeping four clean sheets in five games played in the month of May.

In total, he gathered 12 clean sheets across the season that helped the Prison Wardens finish sixth with 41 points in 28 games played.

St Mary’s Kitende’s Rose Amaniyo clinched the gong as the best basketball player after being recognized as the Most Valuable Player in the recently concluded USSSA games that were held in Mbarara.

To take home the accolade, Amaniyo beat the competition from Peter Cheng (Nam Blazers) and Diana Letaru (KIU Rangers).

Pirates captain was named the best rugby player after throwing his body on the line for his side to lift the second-ever title in history.

His kicking was just perfect to see off rivals KOBs in the decider on the final day of the campaign.

Yasin Nasser and co-driver Ali Katumba were crowned as the best Rally crew finishing ahead of Duncan Mubiru feat Joseph Bongole and Byron Rugomoka feat Hakim Mawanda.

They achieved the mark after finishing third at Pearl of Africa while Gloria Aya concluded the list of winners as the best Netball player after helping NEC defend the East Africa crown.

Reports indicate that the newly promoted side, Kitara FC are in talks to contract Wasswa Bbosa as head coach.

The latest development comes after Sam Ssimbwa left the coaching role at the Hoima-based side according to a source close to the club.

Wasswa moved to Gaddafi at the start of the season but he stay there and hardly lived up to expectations after the club struggled to meet his expectations.

After a sad and fairly disappointing season, Wasswa is set to leave the Jinja-based side and his next home might be Kitara FC.

Wasswa was earlier courted by BUL but there was no breakthrough as both sides had different plans and conclusions on the way forward.

On Monday, May 5, the Kitara administration had a lengthy meeting with Wasswa and the talk is it was successful after both sides agreed on terms and conditions.

The last stage of the transfer remains with the administration to confirm when Wasswa will finally take up the helm of the technical team.

What next for Sam Simbwa?

Sam Simbwa guided the Royals to top-tier football as his earlier contract asked him to.

The two sides failed to agree on another that asked for another stage in the growth of the club.

Reports indicate that Simbwa is in talks with KCCA FC who are in charge of a gaffer who will help them reclaim their lost glory.

Sadiq Sempigi announced that he is leaving the role of head coach at Mbarara City FC after helping the side get promoted back to Uganda Premier League.

“I want to say it’s great honour serving you (Mbarara City),” a tweet posted by Sempigi partly read.

“Everything was a challenge, we fought to the last man. We fought until the last minute. We fought our repetition. I take much experience and I wish the club all the best in the top tier,” it added.

It’s still not confirmed why Sempigi has walked out of the den after achieving his promise of guiding the club back to top-tier football after a busy campaign.

Sempigi had great work with Ankole Lions finishing second on the FUFA Big League log after gathering 10 wins, 10 draws with one defeat.

The gaffer will be at the helm of the Bulemezi technical team ahead of the Masaza Cup season as he awaits his next assignment.

The head coach role at Mbarara remains vacant and the club will have an assignment to fill the seat.

Former Wakiso Giants midfielder, Ibrahim Kasule was on target once again scoring his third goal at New York Red Bul II.

On Sunday evening, Ibrahim Kasule reached the mark as Red Bull registered a 4-1 well-deserved victory against New England Revolution II at the MSU Soccer Park.

It was an exciting show as Ibrahim Ssekagya’s troops returned on home grounds after playing two games away in Huntsville and Orlando.

Four minutes into the action, Julian Hall broke the deadlock scoring his first professional goal hence giving the hosts a perfect start to the game but New England levelled matters three minutes later.

With six minutes to conclude the first half, Thomas Oladayo reclaimed Red Bull’s lead after connecting well with Julian’s cross to find the back of the net.

In the 45th minute, Kasule set up Ronald Donkor who fired home a low powerful shot hence extending Red Bull’s lead and sending them into the resting rooms with a two-goal edge.

After a great display and thrilling show, Kasule put the icing on the cake with a delightful goal capitalising on New England’s mismatch in the backline.

This was the third game on the bounce where Kasule was plucking his name on the scoresheet.

The victory carries Red Bull to the second position on 23 points due to a better goal difference than New York (3rd) which has the same points.

 

 

Ugandan forward Edward Kizza continued his string of good performances despite missing a chance to score in Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ victory over Phoenix Rising on Sunday at Highmark Stadium.

The side registered their fourth straight win in the USL Championship, six in all competitions and nine straight undefeated.

Kizza started the match and came off in the 86th minute for Robbie Mertz, his contribution just enough for the Riverhounds to win the encounter.

Riverhounds’ goal was scored by Arturo Ordonez in the 22nd minute when the former Pitt men’s soccer standout connected with a header on the end of a Kenardo Forbes free kick from the left side into the box.

Taking flight!✈️@OrdonezOsuna's header gives @RiverhoundsSC the lead! #PITvPHX pic.twitter.com/Q5msQpVBwB

— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) June 3, 2023

Kizza should have scored in the 36th minute but his chipped shot wasn’t near its intended target and went out for a goal kick.

Riverhounds will take on FC Cincinnati in the U.S. Open Cup next Tuesday on the road.

As Vipers SC lifted the Uganda Cup title, five individuals were rewarded for their exceptional show in the just concluded tournament.

Among the five, two were Vipers players which added more joy and stage another reason for Alex Isabirye’s troops to celebrate.

Best Goalkeeper: Fabien Mutombora 

The Venoms custodian Fabien Mutombora was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper for guiding his side to the accolade.

The Burundian goalkeeper conceded only three goals and was in between the posts as his side won a penalty shootout on three occasions against Bujumbura United, Jinja North United and Wakiso Giants respectively.

Best Defender: Ashraf Mandela

Vipers right back and second deputy captain Ashraf Mandela was recognized as the tournament’s best defender.

Mandela has been tremendous throughout the journey ensuring three clean sheets and also scoring the important late equaliser against Wakiso Giants which was also the club’s first goal in normal time for the concluded tournament.

Best Midfielder: Amisi Semugera

Police FC’s Amisi Semugera was announced as the tournament’s best midfielder despite not playing a single minute in the finals.

The lanky midfielder was tremendous in the previous games and was the engine that pushed the Cops to the final hurdle of the race.

Top Scorer: Emmanuel Loki

Bright Stars forward Emmanuel Loki scored five goals to walk away with the golden boot. He guided his side to the semifinals where they lost to Vipers SC 4-1 on aggregate.

Most Assists: Ibrahim Kasinde

Bright Stars’ forward Ibrahim Kasinde collected five assists to scoop the award.

Vipers SC head coach Alex Isabirye spoke scornfully to his critics after guiding his side to a domestic double.

This happened after Vipers registered a 1-0 victory against Police FC to win the Uganda Cup at the Akii Bua Stadium in Lira on Saturday evening.

Milton Karisa’s first-half lonely strike was the difference as the Venoms lifted a second title in a space of a week. They won the Uganda Premier League last weekend.

“When I had just joined this club everyone thought I am going to fail and people were waiting to see me go down but I am happy we have managed to win two trophies in only three months,” Isabirye told the press shortly after the final whistle.

Isabirye revealed that on his arrival at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, he learned of many people saying he will fail and be sacked in a short while but rather he achieved his predecessors.

“Definable I am happy we have won the cup (Uganda Cup). I am winning it for the fourth time and it has been God who has helped me reach this far.”

“It’s been a very difficult journey. We have struggled and faced several obstacles, the players were tired having played so many games,” he emphasized.

“When you look back, I joined this team three months back and we had gone nine games without scoring, two months without winning and we were in the ninth position.”

“But we have managed to win the league with goals yet I found the team having gone a while without scoring. Then later went on to lift the Uganda Cup.”

“I want to thank the players, fellow coaches, the executive and my boss (Dr Lawrence Mulindwa). We have done a very good job and I think we have a reason to jubilate.”

According to the former BUL FC tactician, it’s been God that has blessed their hard work to see that they achieve the long-awaited domestic double.

Saturday, June 3, 2023

Uganda Cup Final

• Police FC 0-1 Vipers SC

Vipers SC finally brought an end to the wait to finally clinch the much-anticipated double.

The Venoms registered a 1-0 narrow victory against Police FC to win the Uganda Cup in a duel played at Akii Bu Stadium in Lira District on Saturday.

Shortly after winning the Uganda Premier League, the Kitende-based side went on to seal a double on the third trial thanks to Milton Karisa’s lonely strike.

Vipers went on to hunt for a double in 2018 KCCA FC stopped them in Bukedea. They returned to the battlefield last year and still, BUL spoilt the party in Hoima.

Angelo Lonyesi’s charges commanded the biggest percentage of possession with short and well-weighed passes but failed to guide the ball past the dotted line.

In the 13th minute, Herman Wasswa capitalised on Rogers Torach’s fumble before he set up Emmanuel Mugume but the forward’s effort went narrowly above the frame.

Skipper Milton Karisa placed Vipers in the lead with a thrilling header directed into the back of the net off Bright Anukani’s well-taken corner kick in the 16th minute.

Ten minutes later, Ashraf Mandela’s long ball met Karisa in the box but the Cops’ captain Joseph Ssentume threw his body on the line to block the effort.

In the 34th minute, Vipers nearly gave away a chilly goal after a miscommunication between goalkeeper Fabien Mutombora and Torach but Mugume’s shot went off target.

At the start of the second half, Alex Isabirye made the first change introducing Karim Ndugwa for Abubaker Lawal who had staged a dull show in the first half.

Six minutes past half an hour mark, Nduggwa came close to extending the lead but goalkeeper Davis Mutebi swiftly dealt with the challenge.

With 15 minutes to play, Karisa was denied to double the lead with only a keeper to beat. The agile forward was set up by Ndugwa but Mutebi punched the ball out for a corner kick.

Isabirye also wrote his name in the books of history after lifting his fourth Uganda Cup title after earlier winning it with BUL, Victoria University and URA FC.

• Saturday, June 3 | Uganda Cup Final
• Police FC vs Vipers SC – 3 pm

Vipers SC have won this season’s Uganda Premier League and can add to that if they beat Big League side Police FC in the Uganda Cup Final on Saturday, June 3 to seal off a long-awaited double.

The Cops are eager to spoil the party as their head coach Angelo Lonyesi reveals it will be one of the easiest matches they have played throughout this year’s campaign.

“I think this is going to be one of the easiest matches for us,” Lonyesi strongly noted ahead of the duel at Akiibua Stadium in Lira District.

“We have had enough time to prepare and I think it has been used to the maxim. We are very ready for tomorrow’s game and since it’s the last of the season, we are ready to play our hearts out,” he added.

“Many hardly expected Police to reach here and it’s upon us to prove, we deserve it. We are here and we shall surprise them the more by winning the trophy.”

However, Vipers have a big assignment of joining the class of double winners led by SC Villa (6), KCCA and Express who have achieved it once.

Last year, they came so close but BUL extended the wait just like their bitter rivals KCCA did in Bukedea (2018).

Vipers SC head coach Alex Isabirye takes the game lightly, respecting his opponent and underling that they are up to a hard game against the Cops.

“I know the game will not be easy. There is no weak team which reaches the finals,” Isabirye said.

“I know they are a good side but we are ready for this game. We have prepared well and will give our best to see that we win the title,” he added.

In the same spirit, Milton Karisa, Vipers captain expressed his readiness for the game noting they have prepared well and are ready to fight for the badge.

Police are climaxing a disappointing season after they failed to return to top-tier football so they would love to finish on a high with silverware in their trophy cabin.

Police’s last trophy came in 2006 as they were CECAFA Kagame Cup winners.

On the flip side, Vipers have had not the best season but managed to take home the league title so winning the Uganda Cup will make this particular squad the most successful in clinching a double.

Vipers SC have yet another chance to win a double, can they finally get the assignment done?

The Venoms face Police FC in the Uganda Cup final. It’s the third straight final for the Kitende-based side after falling in the previous final to BUL FC in a 3-1 loss.

Having won the Uganda Premier League last week, Alex Isabirye’s charges have one test ahead of them: beating Police FC in the game that will be played at Akii Bua Stadium, Lira.

High scoring rate

To reach the third successive final, the Venoms eliminated Bright Stars FC thanks to a 4-1 aggregate win in the semifinals.

Vipers SC whitewashed Bright Stars 4-0 at St Mary’s Kitende, Stadium before they lost 1-0 in the second leg.

Vipers as well thumped Calvary FC 4-1 in the quarterfinals and it has proved that if the scoring tap opens then it can get freely flowing which might give their opponents Police FC a big task.

The same Venom was exhibited in the last league game as the league champions put five past Busoga United to clinch the title on goal difference.

Isabirye in search of fourth 

Isabirye was on the hunting side last year as he set up the plan for BUL to beat Vipers and win their maiden title.

However, he has lifted the title with Victoria University and URA. So he would be searching for the fourth but also guiding Vipers to its very first double.

Urge to make amends

Having lost the title last year with a star-studded side, Vipers will seek to make amends and that can only be done by nothing else but only lifting the prestigious honour.

Having said it all, Vipers will have some work to do since Police FC’s gaffer Angelo Lonyesi has already set the warning promising to play their hearts out in the much-anticipated duel.