Uganda vs Central African Republic

Venue: Suez Canal Authority stadium, Ismailia

Kickoff Time: 5PM (EAT)

Uganda Hippos are set to start their AFCON U20 Group B campaign on a good note as they face the Central African Republic on Monday at the Suez Canal Authority stadium, Ismailia.

The Hippos have played a total of eight friendly matches, seven in Uganda and one in Egypt, against hosts Egypt, winning six, losing one and drawing one.

Greece-based midfielder and captain Isma Mugulusi will lead his teammates out of the tunnel and he is hoping to achieve the ultimate dream of qualifying for the U20 World Cup that will be held in Indonesia between May-June 2023.

“We are happy and in good mood as players,” he told FUFA. “We are thinking about nothing but this tournament and the first game against Central African Republic is very important to us if we are to achieve our mission of going to the World Cup.”

Uganda reached the finals in the last edition, only to lose to Ghana. Teams that reach the semifinal stage represent Africa in the World Cup.

Crested Cranes midfielder Phiona Nabbumba has joined Danish football club currently playing in the Danish 2nd Division – Boldklubben af 1893.

The club confirmed the development on Monday after Nabbumba signed all the required documents.

She has been playing for She Corporate before moving to Denmark at the start of the year, even before the second round of the FUFA Women’s Super League started.

Nabbumba enjoyed a successful spell last year, guiding She Corporate to league triumph and emerging as the Most Valuable Player.

She joins former teammate and goalkeeper Vanessa Edith Karungi who moved to Denmark in 2021.

CAF Champions League 2022-2023 (Match 107):

• Al Merrikh (Sudan) Vs CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
• Friday, 24^th February 2023 (3:00 PM)
• Benina Martyrs of Benina Stadium, Benghazi city, Libya (Artificial turf)

Two Ugandan officials have been appointed by the Confederation of Africa (CAF) for duty at the upcoming CAF Champions League group duel between Al Merrikh (Sudan) and CR Belouizdad (Algeria) on Friday, 24^th February 2023 in Libya.

Vastly experienced security gurus Dixon Adol Okello and Ali Mwebe have been appointed as security officers and general match coordinators respectively.

Other officials:

The centre referee for this game is Mali’s, Boubou Traore and he will work alongside fellow countrymen Modibo Samake and Belly Guisse Amadou Amadou as the first assistant and second assistant referees respectively.

The fourth official is Keita Mahamadou, also from Mali while the match commissioner will be Lewis Blaze Madeleine from Seychelles.

Sudan’s Al Merrikh will host Algeria’s CR Belouizdad in Libya at the Benina Martyrs of Benina stadium in Benghazi city on Friday, 24^th February 2023 (3:00 PM).

Match officials:

• Center Referee: Boubou Traore (Mali)
• Assistant Referee 1: Modibo Samake (Mali)
• Assistant Referee 2: Belly Guisse Amadou Amadou (Mali)
• Four Official: Keita Mahamadou (Mali)
• Commissioner: Lewis Blaze Madeleine (Seychelles)
• General Coordinator: Ali Mwebe (Uganda)
• Security officer: Dixon Adol Okello (Uganda)

Group C Saturday Results

• Vipers SC 0-0 AC Horoya
• Simba 0-3 Raja Casablanca

Vipers settled for a goalless draw during the Caf Champions League group stages to walk away with a point against Guinea’s AC Horoya on Saturday at Kitende.

Vipers were coming back from a humiliating 5-0 defeat away to Raja Casablanca and it was Milton Karisa who should have scored twice when played through by Bright Anukani before the break.

The Venoms finished with only ten men after left-back Isa Mubiru was sent off for a second bookable offence in a space of sixty seconds in the 78^th minute.

On the other hand, Raja Casablanca stunned Tanzania’s Simba SC in Dar es Salaam with a 3-0 defeat, the Moroccans move to six points with Horoya (4), Vipers (1) and Simba (0) in that order.

Action in the competition resumes next weekend when Simba visit Vipers at Kitende while Raja Casablanca will play host to Horoya.

New York Red Bulls II has named Daniel Gutierrez and Jeremy Proud as its assistant coaches that will help former Uganda Cranes captain and head coach Sekagya Ibrahim.

Daniel Gutierrez will enter his first season as an assistant coach with the New York Red Bulls II in 2023.

Gutierrez has been with the New York Red Bulls organization for over three years, serving as an Academy Head Coach for U-12 and U-13.

According to the club’s website, Gutierrez “was called up by Head Coach Ibrahim Sekagya to serve as an assistant for Red Bulls II.”

Jeremy Proud will enter his third season as the goalkeeper coach for New York Red Bulls II in 2023.

Ibrahim Sekagya was named as Head Coach at the onset of February and is the third Head Coach in Red Bulls II history after spending eight seasons as an Assistant Coach.

CAF Pan Africa Schools Football Championship (CECAFA Zone) 2023

Match Day 1 Results:

Girls:

Group A:

• Ecofo Ruseno (Burundi) 0-9 Fountain Gate (Tanzania)
• Awaro S.S (Ethiopia) 5-0 Ecofo Ruseno (Burundi)

Group B:

• El Hila Al Jadida (Sudan) 0-3 Amus College School – Bukedea (Uganda)
• CEM Baulous (Djibouti) 0-1 Amus College School – Bukedea (Uganda)
• Kiramuzi MS (Rwanda) 5-0 CEM Baulous (Djibouti)

Boys:

Group A:

• Benjamin Mpaka SS (Tanzania) 0-2 Royal Giant High School (Uganda)
• Geda Roble S.S (Ethiopia) 2-1 Benjamin Mpaka S.S (Tanzania)
• ES Sumba (Rwanda) 1-1 Geda Roble SS (Ethiopia)

Group B:

• Libya PS (South Sudan) 4-1 CEM Baulous (Djibouti)
• Ecofo Gasanda (Burundi) 1-1 Aljeel Al Genina (Sudan)
• CEM Baulous (Djibouti) 0-7 Ecofo Gasanda (Burundi)

Amus College School – Bukedea has qualified for the semi-finals of the 2023 CAF Pan Africa schools football championships (CECAFA zone).

This follows two victories during match day one at the Azam Sports Complex in Dar-es-salaam, Chamazi – Tanzania on Friday, February 17, 2023.

The Bukedea-based school won 3-0 against Sudan’s El Hila Al Jadida in the opener. Asia Kakai, Sharom Nabunya and Joan Namungo were on target for the Ugandan ambassadors.

In the second game, Amus College School overcame Djibouti’s CEM Baulous 1-0 courtesy of a penalty by Priscilla Fauchan.

Amus College now has six points and is assured of a slot in the semi-finals. They will face Kiramuzi MS (Rwanda) on Saturday morning, a fixture to determine their final position in the group.

Boys:

Uganda’s other team (Royal Giant High School) also started with a victory, winning 2-0 over hosts Benjamin Mpaka SS (Tanzania) in the boy’s category.

Enock Bagenda and Thomas Ogema were on target for Royal Giant High School. Benjamin Mpaka Secondary School also fell in their second game, losing 1-2 to Ethiopian side Geda Roble.

Ecofo Gasanda from Burundi humiliated CEM Baulous (Djibouti) 7-0 in a one-sided duel in group B. The other group B encounter was a 1-all draw between Ecofo Gasanda (Burundi) and Sudan’s Aljeel Al Genina.

More group-stage games will be played on Saturday, 18^th February 2023. The semi-final and finals will be held on Sunday, 19^th February 2023 to determine the respective champions.

Top performers’ purse:

The winners in the boys and girls category are expected to win USD 100,000, while the runners-up will take USD75,000 and the bronze medalists USD 50, 000.

The victors will represent the CECAFA region at the maiden African Schools Football Championship is slated to take place April 7-9, 2023 in Morocco.

Forward Mahadi Mahrez Kayondo has joined Romania’s most successful football entity, Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua București.

The 24-year-old joins Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua București, a club with the most titles in Liga 1 (Divizia A) with a record 20 trophies, 20 Romania Cups, one UEFA Champions League (1985-1986) and one UEFA Super Cup (1986), among others.

Kayondo graduates from third-tier side Club Sportiv Municipal (CSM) Deva where he is largely impressed.

He had earlier played at Asociatia Club Sportiv Ghiroda having also featured at Asociația Club Sportiv (ACS) Poli Timișoara in 2018-2020 since transferring from Uganda’s Ndejje University.

“He has previously been at Otelul Galati, FC Crete, Universitatea Craiova Gloria Buzau and Apollo Smirnis. This is good promotion” his manager Eugene Sepuya, of Sepuya Inc Agency told Kawowo Sports.

Clubul Sportiv al Armatei Steaua București is a historic club owned by the Ministry of National Defence and was founded on 7^th June 1947, based in the Romanian capital city of Bucharest.

They are currently in the second division but boast of the Their current president is Stefan Razvan Bichir with the manager as Daniel Lonel Oprita.

Results

• Kitara 2-1 UPU
• Blacks Power 0-0 Wakiso Giants [Pen: 5-6]

Wakiso Giants and Kitara have reached the 2023 Uganda Cup round of 16 after the latter defeated Regional league side Uganda Pentecostal University 2-1 at Kigaya P/S ground.

Second-half goals from defender Dudu Ramadhan were key to their success while Abdulburst Bwambale scored the only goal for the visitors who had eliminated four-time Uganda Premier League winner URA in the previous stage.

At Akii Bua stadium, Lira, Wakiso Giants required a penalty shootout to eliminate fellow top-tier side Blacks Power in an evenly contested game that ended goalless in normal time.

The visitors were resilient and even had a goal chalked for offside when Norman Ojik thought he had given them a lead.

All Wakiso Giants penalty takers Ojik, Rahmat Ssenfuka, Tom Masiko, Hassan Ssenyonjo, George Kaddu and Alex Komakech converted apart from Paul Willa who ironically missed the first attempt.

The action continues today and the round will be completed on Monday.

Wednesday, February 15

• Mbale Heroes vs Soltilo Bright Stars – Mbale Municipal stadium
• Jinja North United vs Vipers – Kyabazinga stadium, Jinja
• Mbarara City vs Admin – Kakyeka stadium, Mbarara

Thursday, February 16

• Bunyaruguru United vs UPDF – Nyakashuru P/ Ground, Rubirizi
• Kiyinda Boyz vs Kigezi Home Boyz – Ssaza Ground, Mityana

Friday, February 17

• BUL vs SC Villa – Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru 2pm (TV)

Saturday February 18

• Kisugu United vs Paidha Black Angels – Bugolobi Coffee Ground (TV)
• Junior Eagles vs Onduparaka – Soroti stadium

Sunday February 19

• Pajule vs Police FC- Pajule P/S, Pader
• Express vs Lugazi Municipal – Mutesa II stadium, Wankulukuku
• Ndejje University vs Blue Star – Bombo Barracks
• Adjumani TC FC vs Elite – Paridi stadium
• Calvary vs JLOS – Midigo P/S Play Ground

Monday February 20

• Kataka vs KCCA – Mbale Municipal stadium (TV)

New York Red Bulls II Head Coach Ibrahim Sekagya is excited at the arrival of midfielder Ricardo Gorday.

The former Uganda Cranes captain has spent the last two seasons playing for Tauro FC in Liga Panamena de Futbol, which is the top division of professional soccer in Panama.

He has made 12 appearances for the club and scored one goal in the Liga Panamena Apertura on May 7, 2022, in a 3-0 win against Arabe Unido.

Uganda Hippos intensified their preparations for the U20 AFCON tournament with a friendly match against host nation Egypt on Monday afternoon at the Military Academy Olympic Stadium, Cairo.

The Hippos looked the brighter side in the early stages of the game with John Paul Dembe and Travis Mutyaba both coming close to scoring.

Hippos continued dominating proceedings thanks to the quartet of Ssematimba, Mugulusi, Mayanja and Irinimbabazi taking charge.

With three minutes to the break, the Hippos launched an enticing attack that was initiated by Ibrahim Juma. Ddembe was at the tail end of the move and he did no mistake to break the deadlock.

However, the lead was short-lived with Egypt finding the equaliser at the stroke of halftime.

The start of the second half saw coach Jackson Mayanja introduce Rogers Mugisha, Justin Opiro and Issa Bugembe for Dembe, Lukwago and Ssematimba in that order.

The Hippos will relocate to Ismailia on Tuesday where they will play their matches in group B against Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville and South Sudan.

The tournament will take place between the 19th to 11th of March in Egypt.

Uganda Hippos Starting XI

Abdu Magada (GK), Haruna Lukwago, Ibrahim Juma, Apollo Kakogwe, Rogers Torach, Ivan Irinimbabazi, Saidi Mayanja, Travis Mutyaba, Isma Mugulusi, Titus Ssematimba, John Paul Ddembe

Substitutes

Kamya Shamran, Oyo Delton, Justin Opiro, Umar Lutalo, Ronald Madoi, Patrick Kakande, Roger Mugisha, Issa Bugembe, Shafiq Magogo, Alpha Ssali, Emmanuel Mukisa, Hakim Mutebi, Samson Kasozi, Frank Katongole