• University Football League – Results
• MUBS 1-1 UCU

Uganda Christian University (UCU) Cardinals fought from a goal down to hold Makerere University Business School (MUBS) in the first leg of the ongoing University Football League semi-finals in Nakawa on Thursday.

It was an electric start as Sudhir Bin Saidi opened the scoring with a low powerful effort past Collins Wesonga into the back of the net in the first minute.

In the 10th minute, UCU nearly found a leveller as Innocent Zziwa nearly scored in his net after he fully stretched to connect with Peter Kyomuhendo’s delivery.

At half an hour mark, Allan Opio failed to bury a cut-clear chance after he was set up by Isaac Ofoyrwoth in front of goal.

With five minutes left in the first stanza, Kyomuhendo’s freekick gave MUBS trouble before Talibu Yokole made a swift clearance from the area.

Six minutes into the second stanza, MUBS came close through Yokole’s curling freekick but Gaganga was in the right place to make a timely clearance.

In the 58th minute, Derrick Tenywa failed to guide the ball into the empty net as the ball got locked in his feet before Marvin Ategeka cleared his lines.

Four minutes later, Gaganga levelled matters with a powerful effort as MUBS custodian Innocent Ayebale remained frozen in his cylinder.

Centre referee Henry Musisi denied UCU a clear penalty after Harry Abitti was tripped in the dangerous area with 10 minutes to play.

The visitors had several chances in the dying minutes to kill the game but were very wasteful leaving the second leg open for either side.

The two sides will meet on Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Mukono for the second leg.

How they lined up

MUBS XI: Innocent Ayebale (GK), Thomas Lasu, Innocent Zziwa, Marvin Ategeka, James Junior Wogute, Talibu Yokole, Sudhir Bin Saidi, Moses Kasinga, Stuart Magumba, Justine Odong, Derrick Otuke

UCU XI: Wesonga Collins (XI), Karim Busobozi, Patrick Ogola, Sharif Ssewanyana, Godfrey Arijole, Solomon Maiso, Isaac Ofoyrwoth, Peter Kyomuhendo, Harry Abiti, Allan Opio, Godfrey Gaganga

The UPL Secretariat has confirmed that URA FC will be hosting Vipers at MTN Omondi Stadium in Lugogo.

The two sides will be facing off on Friday, March 29 at Lugogo in the night fiesta under the floodlights.

The development was confirmed today Thursday, March 21 via the Uganda Premier League’s official website.

“The UPL secretariat receives the letter dated 14 March 2024 from URA FC notifying us that Mehta Stadium is to be revamped to a cricket facility in preparation for the forthcoming ICC World Cup,” the statement reads.

“It’s on this note the URA requested their game against Vipers to be played at MTN Omondi Stadium as they secure an alternative home ground,” it added.

This means the Tax Collectors will be changing their home switching from Mehta Stadium in Lugazi due to the construction works going on ahead of the forthcoming ICC World Cup.

The move plays in URA’s favour since the night fixture guarantees a huge turn-up due to the neutrals that will join the home crowd and visitors for the highly anticipated game.

URA lie seventh on the log with 31 points gathered in 21 games while Vipers is fifth with 35 points in 19 games.

Uganda U-20 men’s football team (The Hippos) will play against Ghana in the final of the ongoing 2023 African Games.

To reach this stage, the Hippos fought from two goals down to register a 4-2 victory against Congo Brazzaville in an entertaining showdown.

In the post-match press conference, Morley Byekwaso revealed that it has been a lot of work done before the great achievement.

“We have worked a lot to be here. The preparations started back home and also build-ups in Ethiopia. We have picked a lot from the championship as we take something back home to help our players develop further,” he said.

“We emulate the best footballing countries in Africa like Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana and many others. As a country, we do a lot of research and we pick the knowledge from those football greats,” he added.

In the final, Hippos will play Ghana an option Byekwaso prefers than Senegal a side he earlier faced in the group stages.

“If I were to choose between Senegal and Ghana, I would say Ghana. I have already played Senegal and in the same tournament, it’s tricky to play a team twice in the same championship.”

Byekwaso guided Uganda to the U-20 AFCON final that they lost to Ghana in the tournament that was played in Mauritania in 2021. 

• African Games 2023 | Semifinals
• Ghana 1-0 Senegal

Ghana secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Senegal in the African Games 2023 at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday.

It was a great day for the hosts who registered a narrow victory in front of their home crowd.

Micheal Ephson scored a late goal and it was the only difference between the two sides on the day.

Ephson was set up by Jerry Afiriye before he slotted the ball into the back of the net to send the home crowd in party mood.

The victory sends Ghana into the final of the ongoing tournament where they will face off with Uganda.

This simply means the two nations will meet in the repeat of the 2020 U-20 AFCON final that was hosted in Mauritania in 2021.

It provides Morley Byekwaso and the troops a golden chance to avenge as the two sides renew their acquaintances.

The sides will face off on Friday in the final at Accra Sports Stadium. On the other hand, Senegal and Congo will meet in the bronze game.

• African Games 2023 – Semifinal
• Uganda 4-2 Congo

Uganda U-20 staged a thrilling and courageous fight to beat Congo Republic in the semifinals of the ongoing 2023 African Games in Ghana.

The Uganda Hippos rallied from two goals down at the break before securing a hard-fought 4-2 victory.

It will be more than a victory since it now confirms that atleast the Hippos are sure of a medal as they keep sight of gold.

Akouala Sevryl guided that ball into the back of the net through a well-curled free kick as Congo took the lead in the 15^th minute of the game.

Shortly after, Uganda’s custodian Shamulan Kamya was rushed off the field of play with an ambulance in yet another big blow to the Hippos.

Before the end of the first stanza, Congo doubled their lead through Mignon Koto who took Uganda’s backline to bed before slotting the ball into the net.

At the start of the second stanza, Morley Byekwaso introduced Hakim Mutebi to replace Ivan Irinimbabazi to add more bodies upfront.

Abbas Kyeyune finally pulled back one for Uganda in the 60^th minute and that was the magical start of the comeback.

Energetic forward Bruno Bunyaga levelled matters in the 70^th minute after rising to node home Kyeyune’s delivery before placing Uganda in the lead four minutes later.

With ten minutes to end the game, Mutebi placed the last nail in Congo’s coffin with a deflected effort past Congo’s custodian.

Uganda will play the winner between Senegal and Ghana in the final of the ongoing tournament.

MTN Uganda has confirmed that matchday tickets for the FUFA Drum Final between Busoga and Lango scheduled for Saturday, March 23 at MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo.

The latest development means that tickets are now on the market for the long-awaited final and can now be purchased using the MTN MoMoPay since no tickets will be sold at the gate on match day.

The FUFA Drum Organising Committee Chairman Rogers Byamukama says that 3,000 ordinary tickets at Ugx 25,000 each and 50 tickets at Ugx 100,000 each are the only two categories that can be purchased using MTN MoMoPay.

To purchase the tickets on MTN MoMoPay, dial *165*98# and follow the details. This category will be open until a few hours to match time.

The match will kick off at 4 PM.

 Provinces allocated 3,000 tickets

The Organising Committee has allocated 3,000 tickets to the provinces in the final and they can only be bought in bulk at Ugx 20,000 each. Each Province (Busoga and Lango) has been allocated 1,500 tickets per team.

The tickets of this category will be sold through the Management Committee of each Province.

According to the committee, if the tickets are not yet bought by Friday midday, they will be transferred to the open market category and will be bought on MoMo Pay only.

The Queen Cranes fell to Nigeria in a 2-0 loss in the semifinals of the ongoing African Games at Cape Coast on Monday.

However, the gaffer Sheryl Botes is proud of the girls and believes the experience picked will be golden going forward.

“I am happy with the way we played at the tournament and I can be proud of the players for the performance in all the games,” she stated.

“We have gained valuable experience from all teams we played against. We have played some of the best on the continent and I know the players will not be the same,” he added.

In some of the positives picked in the tournament, Botes tried out different players in other positions to try and test their versatility.

“Modern football requires that players can play in different positions and that is what I told the players.”

“We are not just fixing things here at the tournament but rather we had the same arrangement in our training session back home,” she concluded.

Uganda will be out to try and at least salvage the tournament by picking bronze as they face Senegal on Thursday.

• African Games 2023 – Semifinal
• Nigeria 2-0 Uganda 

Uganda fell to the hands of Nigeria after a 2-0 loss in the ongoing 2023 African Games down in Ghana on Monday, March 18.

In the game that was played at Cape Coast Stadium, Uganda’s dream of clinching gold came to an end after the semifinal loss.

Nigeria came out knocking on the door as early as the 10^th minute but Uganda’s custodian Sharon Kaidu palmed away Blessing Okpe’s strong effort.

In the 27^th minute, Uganda nearly took the lead but her well curled effort bounced off the frame in a well-engineered attack.

At the break it was goalless however, Nigeria looked the better side and Uganda was pegged on the back foot.

Crested Cranes gaffer Sheryl Botes made a number of changes introducing fresh legs into the middle park but their impact on the game was hardly found.

Adaobi Judith Okah broke the deadlock after guiding the ball in the back of the net to give Nigeria the deserving lead.

With two minutes left on the clock, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu put the icing on the cake after doubling Nigeria’s lead.

Uganda will play the classification game next against the loser between Ghana and Senegal as they fight for atleast Bronze.

African Games 2023 – Semi-finals

• Uganda vs Nigeria – 11 PM

Uganda U-20 Women’s National Team (Queen Cranes) will be locking horns with African giants Nigeria at the Cape Coast Stadium, Ghana.

The Queen Cranes will go into the encounter with a medal on their mind and a victory in this encounter will confirm them into the medal bracket.

Uganda’s head coach Sheryl Botes revealed that they have set a strategy and she trusts her players to execute it to perfection.

“Nigeria is a possession-based team, they are not so direct like Ghana. Therefore, we have drafted a strategy on how to approach this game and I trust my players to execute it to perfection,” she stated.

“We came here with one target and that is to win the championship. We are confident as a team going into the game and hope to get good results,” she added.

Botes highlighted the need for the tournament and how much it has improved their quality and mentality which is so golden on their journey.

“This tournament has been of great importance to us because we have got the chance to play against teams like Ghana and Nigeria which are some of the best on the continent,” she said.

“The exposure and experience gained here will not leave us the same. The players have earned a lot facing different teams and they can only get better going forward.”

However, the team will miss the services of Dorcus Lwalisa and Krusum Namutebi who are both suspended after accumulating two yellow cards.

But the team will be boosted by the timely return of defender Shakirah Nakwanga who hardly featured in the Ghana’s clash.

FUFA Big League | Results

• Onduparaka 0-1 Blacks Power 
• Young Elephant 3-3 Police
• Jinja North United 1-0 Booma
• Kiyinda Boys 3-1 Kyetume
• Kigezi Homeboys 0-0 Calvary
• Kataka 1-0 Mbale Heroes

Blacks Power registered a 1-0 victory against Onduparaka in the FUFA Big League encounter played at Greenlight Stadium, Arua on Sunday.

Innocent Maduka scored a late goal to give Blacks Power maximum points away from home.

It was a painful loss for the Caterpillars who failed to bury their chances only to be punished in the final proceedings of the game.

In the 22nd minute, Jonathan Mungufeni’s well weighed free kick met Ezra Bida but the final effort in-front off goal was off target.

Five minutes later, Junior Andama beat his makers to pace before he released a powerful effort inches wide of the frame.

Three minutes past the hour mark, Hamadain Ajida made a full stretch to palm away Jamal Malish’s powerful effort.

With four minutes left on the cross, Maduka finally broke the deadlock thus giving the visitors a hard fought victory.

The victory sends Blacks Power in the fifth position on the log with 28 points while Onduparaka are ninth with six points less.