Makindye Sabagabo Sand Lions Beach Soccer Club have progressed into the championship playoffs for the first time ever with 28 points 16 games played in the regular season.
The Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality based side registering 9 wins, 1 draw and lost 6 of the16 2022/23 FUFA beach soccer league season.
After defeating Grace Church 6-2 in their final league game of the regular season on Sunday.
The win took their points count to 28, six better than Buganda Royal who even managed to win only one game of their remaining two games to allow the ‘Tiimu Ye’kibuga’ to seal the final last four spot.
Star player Yusuf Joloba scored a hat-trick, with two of his strikes coming in the first period before the league second goal scorer Simon Kizito added a brace on his account and Rajab Okello banged in the last nail.
Kenny Mugabi and Marvin Ssempijja scored the consolation for the Church boys who were without a coach at FUFA technical centre.
Ssemwogerere’s men now sit at the same table with St. Lawrence University, Mutoola and Jinja Lions who had already qualified for the playoffs.
Finished in fourth position means that MS Sand Lions will be up against defending champions SLAU of both sides defeated 5-3 in the first and second round with the last being in favour of the play off debutants.
Meanwhile, Jinja Lions won two of their final three matches, beating Kiringente and Mutoola 9-2 and 5-3 respectively before losing 4-2 to the defending champions, St. Lawrence to remained third with 32 points.
Else where, St. Lawrence University’s goalkeeper Meddy Kibirige was sent off for a second bookable offense against Mutoola with the Saints turning to the defender Rica Byaruhanga for the role between the posts as they had only came with one goalkeeper.
Despite Slau playing almost two games with a makeshift ‘goalkeeper,’ they maintained their standards with victories against Mutoola and Jinja Lions whom they defeated 7-5 and 4-2 respectively to sit at the top of the log with 43 points.
Mutoola, who finished second, lost to St. Lawrence and Jinja Lions as mentioned above before defeating Buganda Royal 4-1 to gather 36 points.
The championship playoffs and the final will be played on 18th June, 2023 at FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru.
Sunday June 11, 2023 – Full Results:
Kiringente 2-9 Jinja Lions
Mutoola 5-7 St. Lawrence
Kiringente 5-6 Buganda Royal
Jinja Lions 5-3 Mutoola
MS Sand Lions 6-2 Grace Church
Buganda Royal 1-4 Mutoola
Jinja Lions 2-4 St. Lawrence
