St Mary’s SS Kitende celebrated the opportunity to play for a 11th schools boys football title to level with record champions, Kibuli SS after overcoming a tense penalty shootout against Amus College at Nyakasura School in Fort Portal City.
Kitende sailed to the final where they meet St Henry’s College Kitovu thanks to their 5-4 win over Amus following a 1-all draw in the semifinals.
Head coach Dan Male said he could literally taste his players’ desire to play for a record 12th title.
“When we missed a penalty in normal time, the players remained calm and played purposely. They know the importance of winning this competition and you could taste their desire to win,” said Male after the victory.
Kitende took an early lead with Frank Katongole’s long-range thunderbolt but Allan Oyirwoth quickly answered with a clean header off a well taken cross from the right.
Immediately after the break striker Olimi Nyarwa missed what would have been the winner from 12 yards after an Amus defender was judged to have handled the ball in the box.
Both teams kept probing with end-to-end attacks but none yielded before penalties could decide an evenly matched game.
Amus’ missed his kick as Kitende converted all their chances to seal their place in history books.
But Kitende will have to overcome a jinx against Kitovu. No school has managed to win four consecutive titles and this is Kitende’s third attempt to the longstanding bad record which Kibuli also failed to break in 1994.
“We are keen on retaining our title and I hope we have this same attitude in the final,” Male said.
But his opposite Nimrod Kintu was frustrated with the officiating, blaming centre referee Amin Ainebyona for biased officiating.
“We had a good run into the tournament but the referee today limited us into their final half. We had many chances to score but the referee stopped us from getting there,” Kintu said.
St Henry’s Kitovu are the only side that have beaten Kitende in this year’s nationals in Fort Portal during the group stages. When both teams met in the group stages, Kitovu gave Kitende a hiding, winning 2-1.
To get to the final, they eliminated Royal Giants 6-5 on penalties after a thrilling 1-1 draw in normal time.
Issa Bugembe gave Royal Giants an early lead and bossed the game before Godfrey Ssekibengo answered with a long-range shot for the equalizer.
Royal Giants missed two of their kicks including Bugembe’s, which would have won it.
“We did our best. It was not our day,” Frank Mulindwa, Royal Giants’ coach, said.
His side will now have to battle against Amus in the third-place game to determine the third team that will play in the East African games in Huye, Rwanda.
Fred Kasekende, who has guided Kitovu to their first final ever is ready for what should be an inferno when the two teams meet on Saturday.
A victory would break Kitende’s juggernaut and become the second to have 11 wins in the tournament’s 37-year history.
Apart from Kitende and Kibuli ss, who share 21 titles, the other winners are Buddo, Jinja SS, Bp Nankyama, Old Kampala ss, Naggalama Islamic, Ngabo Academy, St Leo’s Kyegobe, Lubiri ss and Kololo ss.
Kitovu would also be the sixth winner outside Kampala and Wakiso after Jinja SS (2017), Bp Nankyama (2010), Naggalama Islamic (2002), Ngabo Academy (2001) and St Leo’s Kyegobe (1997).
Full list of previous winners
- 2022: Kitende
- 2021: Not played due to COVID-19 Pandemic
- 2020: Not played due to COVID-19 Pandemic
- 2019: Kitende
- 2018: Buddo SS
- 2017: Jinja SS
- 2016: Kibuli SS
- 2015: Kitende
- 2014: Kibuli SS
- 2013: Kitende
- 2012: Kitende
- 2011: Kitende
- 2010: Bp Nankyama
- 2009: Buddo SS
- 2008: Kitende
- 2007: Kitende
- 2006: Kitende
- 2005: Kibuli SS
- 2004: Kitende
- 2003: Old Kampala
- 2002: Naggalama Islamic
- 2001: Ngabo Academy
- 2000: Kibuli SS
- 1999: Old Kampala
- 1998: Kibuli SS
- 1997: St Leo’s Kyegobe
- 1996: Kibuli SS
- 1995: Kibuli SS
- 1994: Lubiri SS
- 1993: Kibuli SS
- 1992: Kibuli SS
- 1991: Kibuli SS
- 1990: Kololo SS
- 1989: Kibuli SS
- 1988: Kololo
- 1987: Kololo SS
- 1986: Kololo SS
