The first ever Champions Cup tournament in Uganda was well packaged. Football was inter-mingled with special training in hygiene, disease prevention, mental well-being, and reproductive health courtesy of Green Sports Africa (GSA) in conjunction with the Master Card Foundation.
Lweza Starlets Soccer Academy defied all the odds to emerge victorious during the enticing U-21 football gala held at the lake side ESA Park – Kitubulu in Katabi Town Council, Wakiso district on Saturday, 15th July 2023.
Marvin Mukiibi, 18, scored the all-important goal of the well contested finale against the Big Boys Team before a passionate crowd.
The victorious team (Lweza Starlets Soccer Academy) was rewarded with a glittering trophy, gold medals, a cash reward of $600 (at least Ug.shs 2.1M) and a set of jerseys (like the other 7 quarter finalists).
“It feels nice to win” Mukiibi revealed. “To play in such a tournament of the Champions Cup is a big honour. I have learnt a lot especially to do with quick reaction, proper game management and basically health improvement. I thank the my teammates, the opponents, organizers Green Sports Africa and the sponsors Master Card Foundation” Mukiibi, who also turns out for Wakiso Giants and a student at St Mary’s Kitende added.
The runners up (Big Boys team) earned silver medals, cash worth $200 (at least Ug.shs 700,000) and a jersey set, just like the rest of the successful quarter finalists.
The gala played under favourable sunny weather conditions lured as many as 16 teams from Entebbe, the greater Wakiso area and Kampala Cosmopolitan area.
Before the footballing session ended, the players and team managers were taken through a special session in hygiene, disease prevention, mental well-being, and reproductive health at Kalangala Hall in the lavish Best Western Premier Hotel (Entebbe).
“We learnt a great deal on how to handle these young players especially issues concerning reproductive health. The health worker at the session was spot-on as she emphasized key issues on life management especially as regards the killer diseases of HIV/AIDS, Corona Virus and others. This was very beneficial” Hajji Mwerusi, the director of Entebbe City Soccer Academy noted.
Kassim Ismaily, a director at Green Sports Africa (GSA) tagged the inaugural edition of Champions Cup Uganda as a total success. He lauded all the participating teams, organizing team, local leaders, health worker, security, football leaders in Uganda, ESA Park management and every stakeholder who had contributed positively to the success of this project.
“We had a very successful Champions Cup in Uganda. I thank every stakeholder who contributed positively from the players, their managers and coaches, health worker, venue people, media and the community. Asante Sana (thank you) so much. Our key partners, the Master Card Foundation take a lion’s share of this praise for the job well executed.” Ismaily revealed.
The team on ground identified a couple of outstanding players and will liaise with their leaders to advance their football careers through the Green Sports Africa (GSA) network on the entire African continent.
For starters, GSA has firmly established roots in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria with prospects of drastically spreading wings to the rest of the countries.
All Results from Champions Cup Uganda:
Group Stages:
Entebbe City Soccer 1-0 Entebbe City Lads
Scorer: Conelius Muyimbwa
Fimbo Soccer Academy Team One 1-0 Entebbe Pride
Scorer:Allan Mungu
ESA Park 2-0 Garuga Soccer Academy
Lweza Starlets 1-1 Together as One
Scorers: Rashid Mugulusi (Together as One), Marvin Mukiibi (Lweza Starlets)
Entebbe Old Stars Soccer Academy 0-0 Garuga Soccer Club
Lake View Kitinda 2-0 Entebbe Soccer Academy
Scorers: Andrew Ogema, Ramathan Latibu
Excel Soccer Academy 3-1 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team Two
Scorers: Jeremy Matata X3 (Excel Soccer Academy), Ali Malik (Fimbo Soccer Academy Team Two)
Best Western 2-0 Entebbe City Soccer
Scorer: David Mulungi X2
Entebbe City Lads 0-1 Big Boys
Scorer: Wilber Musinguzi
Garuga Academy 0-0 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team One
Entebbe All Stars 1-1 Together as One
Scorers: Watib Remember (Together as One), Emmanuel Kaweesi (Entebbe All Stars)
Lweza Starlets 1-0 Garuga Soccer Club
Scorer: Stephan Walumu
Entebbe Kitinda 2-0 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team Two
Scorers: RodgersRwothomio, Nobert Enzama
Big Boys 0-0 Entebbe City Soccer
Best Western1-0 Entebbe City Lads
Scorer: Emmanuel Batambairwe
Entebbe Pride 2-0 Garuga Soccer Academy
Scorers: Brian Kiyimba, Caros Kaddu
ESA Park 0-0 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team One
Lweza Starlet 1-1 Entebbe Old Stars
Scorers: Stephen Walumu (Lweza Starlets), Emmanuel Kaweesi (Entebbe Old Stars)
Garuga Soccer Academy 0-0 Together as One
Entebbe Soccer Academy 0-0 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team Two
Excel Soccer Academy 1-0 Entebbe Kitinda
Scorer: Jeremy Matata
Quarter finals:
Best Western 1-0 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team One
Scorer: David Mulungi
ESA Park 0-2 Big Boys
Scorers: Badru Ssembatya, Arafat Kabanda
Lweza Starlets 1-0 Excel
Scorer: Alex Yiga
Lake View 0(2) – 0(1) Entebbe Old Stars
Semi Finals:
Lweza Starlets 0(3) – 0(2) Best Western
Big Boys 1-0 Lake View
Scorer: Arafat Kabanda
Bronze Medal Match: Lake View 0(2) – 0(0) Best Western
Final: Lweza Starlets 1-0 Big Boys
Scorer: Marvin Mukiibi
