Result – Super Cup – Saturday, November 19
Tigers FC 2-1 Kawenja FC
@Acholi Quarters Playground
7th BANDA SLUMS SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Group A
Tigers FC, Nakawa Boyz, Banda Select, Kaaka FC, Works FC
Group B
Kawenja FC, Space Media, Kyambogo United, AQ Raiders, Kasenyi FC
Group C
Luigi FC, Kiganda FC, Alur United, Naguru Select, Venoms FC
Group D
NBA Shooting Starz, Barracks FC, Young Boyz, Soweto FC, Boda Tanka
Opening Fixture – Today, November 20
Luigi FC vs. Alur United, 4pm
Monday, November 21
Kaaka FC vs. Banda Select, 4pm
Tuesday, November 22
Space Media vs. Kyambogo United, 4pm
Wednesday, November 23
NBA Shooting Starz vs. Boda Tanka, 4pm
Thursday, November 24
Tigers FC vs. Nakawa Boyz, 4pm
Friday, November 25
Kawenja FC vs. Kasenyi FC, 4pm
Saturday, November 26
Works FC vs. Kaaka FC, 10am
Kiganda FC vs. Venoms FC, 4pm
Sunday, November 27
Young Stars FC vs. Barracks FC, 10am
AQ Raiders vs. Kyambogo United, 4pm
Season Six having crawled into 2022 because of the delayed lifting of restrictions like social gatherings and curfew in the post Covid-19 pandemic era, Season Seven of the Banda Slums Soccer Tournament finds teams itching to have a go, again.
The curtain raiser of the event – aptly named Super Cup – as it is played between the winners of the previous season and runners-up – was hosted at the Acholi Quarters Playground yesterday (November 19).
Defending champions Tigers started off from where they stopped on January 15th in Season Six’s final by defeating Nakawa-based Kawenja FC 2-1 in the Super Cup.
Playing without their inspirational captain Sadat Anaku, who now features for Dundee United in the Scottish Premier League (SPL), Acholi Quarters-based Tigers didn’t disappoint with a clinical performance that won them a glittering trophy and gold medals.
“Now that the curtain raiser is done and dusted, we are ready to start the season proper,” said Ismail Mukoiko, the L.C III Councillor Banda Parish Zone, who is also the tournament organiser in partnership with The Aliguma Foundation.
Rules of engagement
“We have 20 men’s teams pooled in four groups that shall compete daily. Every match will have a juniors’ curtain raiser and on some occasions women’s teams playing. But we have set tough rules.”
Teams must pay registration fees of UGX 50,000 and have it completed before their second matches. There will be fines for players, fans and officials who bring the game into disrepute.
“From the Round of 16, no transfers of players will be allowed. Five substitutes are allowed per match and each team must bring a ball for their own fixture for emergency cases. Walk over time has also been set at 5pm,” added Mukoiko, who single-handedly started this event in 2015 before Aliguma Foundation became a partner in 2017 after the latter’s initiation.
Today (November 20th), the back-to-back champions of the 2019 & 2020 seasons Luigi FC will be hungry to exorcise last season’s demons and start on a high when they host Alur United.
Alluring prizes at stake
The group matches end on December 21 before the knockout phase starts in earnest. The champions, losing finalists and third place finishers will not only take trophies and respective medals but they will also pocket an undisclosed prize money apiece.
The winners will also feast on a cow, the silver medallists will slaughter a goat whereas the bronze winners will take a consolation prize of two balls as well as the fourth-place finishers – one ball.
The Acholi Quarters community has seen a transformation in football following the Aliguma Foundation partnership over the last six years as justified by Anaku’s move to the United Kingdom.
Under the partnership, a number of pupils and students in the community have acquired study scholarships and bursaries because of their immense talents thanks to UEFA Foundation for Children, UNHCR, Standard Chartered Bank and the Italian Embassy in Uganda among others.
Roll of Champions
2022: Tigers FC
2021: Tigers FC
2020: Luigi FC
2019: Luigi FC
2018: Kiganda FC
2017: Kawenja FC
*Source: Aliguma Foundation media
