Fazil Tuwmine gave SMASK the early 14th minute lead. Lethal forward Allan Oyirwoth equalized on the quarter hour mark for his 12th goal of the competition and push the game into post-match penalties that Kitende won 4-2.
FEASSSA Games 2023 (Boys Football)
· Final: St Mary’s Boarding School Kitende (Uganda) 1 (4) – 1 (2) Amus College School
· Bronze Medal match: Kibuli S.S (Uganda) 2-1 St Henry’s College Kitovu (Uganda)
For a record 15th time, Uganda’s St Mary’s Boarding Secondary School Kitende won the boys’ football gold at the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) Games. During the 2023 FEASSSA Games held in Huye city, Rwanda, Kitende needed a tense 4-2 post-match penalty victory over another Ugandan school, Amus College from Bukedea district on Sunday, August 27.Normal time of this end-to-end match ended all square at one goal apiece at the Kamena playground in Huye city, Rwanda.
Fazil Tumwine scored as early as the fourth minute past goalkeeper Isaac Mwanda.
Amus College’s talisman and lethal play-maker Allan Oyirwoth leveled the matters with a tap-in from close range past goalkeeper Jack Komakech on the quarter hour mark.This was Oyirwoth’s 12th goal of the competition in 7 matches.
The game got tense at some stage as tempers flared. Either side remained water-tight and could not let in any goals as opening stanza ended all square.Amus College School technical bench introduced substitute goalkeeper Ronald Nsubuga for Isaac Mwanda as the game neared completion.One-all the game ended and post-match penalties were called to determine the winner.St Mary’s Boarding Secondary School Kitende won the shoot-out 4-2.
Amos Ayikobua scored past Kitende goalkeeper Jack Komakech for the opening goal. Derrick Kato equalized for Kitende to make it 1-1.
Oyirwoth sent Komakech the wrong way for Amus College’s second successful penalty before Johnson Kabagambe equalized 2-2.Goalkeeper dived to his right to deny Amus College school captain Bran Toto to grant advantage to Kitende.
Captain Ronald Madoi scored Kitende’s third penalty to take the lead 3-2.It was doom for Amus College School when Shafiq Wasangwa passed the ball wide of the goal posts despite Komakech diving the wrong way on the left.
There was only one opportunity for St Mary’s Kitende to lift the trophy, to score. Defender Rogers Torach scored, calmly slotting the ball to the right of goalkeeper Nsubuga who dived to the left.
The strike meant Kitende had outscored the opponent 4-2 and sparked wild celebrations as they jubilated their 15th title in as many years.
“I thank the players for the work well done” Daniel Male, head coach of SMASK remarked.
“We believed and worked collectively as a unit to make it happen. I thank my fellow coaches, school management and the fans. We are now going to rest like for a month as we build up for other future competitions” Male revealed.
Nimrod Kintu, Amus College’s head coach was graceful in defeat.
“We take the lessons from the lose in the final. Being debutants, we had already achieved and shall build from here” Kintu noted.
2022 FEASSSA football champions Kibuli Secondary School took bronze after winning 2-1 over St Henry’s College Kitovu (SHACK) in the third place play-off.
Amus’ Oyirwoth was top scorer with a dozen goals to his name.
Meanwhile, St Noa Girls School Zzana finished third to take bronze.
St Noa Girls School Zzana humbled Amus College 4-0 in the bronze medal match at Huye International Stadium.
The official prize giving ceremony was held at Huye International stadium moments after Kawempe Muslim game with Wiyeta Girls in the girls’ football trophy.
