Sparta 09, CBI Sports win inaugural U-13 UYFA national football tourney

U-13 Uganda Youth Football Association (UYFA) Championship 2020:

Boys:

Final: Sparta 09 1-0 Kampala Junior Team (KJT)
3^rd Place Play off: Excel Athletic Academy (4) 2-2 (3) Garuga Soccer Academy

Girls:

Final: CBI Sports Academy (5) 0-0 (4) Sky Sports Club Academy

The future of youth football in Uganda is much alive, judging from the recently concluded Uganda Youth Football Association (UYFA) U-13 championship held at the Mbale City stadium.

The thrills from the nationals were eye catching as the youths easily exhibited awesome ball control, exceptional positional sense, exchanged passes at free-will, dribbled expertly, headed the ball like the Gecko and shot at goal like lightening.

Girls football action at the U-13 UYFA championship in Mbale city stadium

In Mbale, 25 teams made the grade to qualify for the nationals from the 96 engaged during the earlier qualification round from all the district football associations and regions in the entire country.

When play eventually got underway, successful passes were conjured together, tackles skidded and definitely the goals rained.

Boys football action during the U-13 UYFA championship in Mbale city

From the group stages, the successful teams progressed to the knock-out stages through to the epic finals.

By close of the day, Sparta 09 Academy and CBI Sports were crowned champions of the boys and girls’ categories respectively.

Sparta O9 Academy overcame Kampala Junior Team (KJT) 1-0 with Nicholas Kawooya netting the solitary goal.

Celebrations on the podium for the CBI Sports Academy team

Earlier on, CBI Sports from Kumi needed a penalty shootout to triumph over Sky Sports Club Academy in the girls’ final.

Normal time ended in a barren draw, but CBI scored five (5) spot kicks while Sky Sports converted only four (4).

On their road to the finals, Sparta 09 eliminated El Cambio in the Round of 16 via a 2-0 score line, before defeating KAYDA 1-0 in the quarterfinals.

An awareness march through the streets of Mbale city for all the teams’ players and officials

Semi-final clashes:

Sparta 09 ejected Excel Athletic Academy 4-3 in post-match penalties after a goal-less duel in normal time.

KJT bundled out Entebbe zone based Garuga Soccer Academy via a tense and dramatic penalty shootout (7-6) following a barren draw in normal time.

Girls:

CBI Sports eliminated Nsambya Young Stars 1-0 during the semifinals.

Sky Sports Club Academy humbled Luweero based Talent Platform 2-0.

Individual Accolades:

CBI Sports’ Gloria Faith Akol was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the girls’ category

Sky Sports Club Academy player Zainah Nabifo finished as top scorer with three goals.

Another Sky Sports Club Academy player Zainab Taliba was named best goalkeeper to take home the golden glove.

The fair play award for the girls was taken by Nsambya Young Stars Academy.

Boys:

Mikidad Moroga of the victorious Sparta 09 took home the boy’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade.

His teammate, Nicholas Kawooya scored 5 goals to take home the golden boot accolade.

Kampala Junior Team’s goalkeeper Jamal Kiyaga took the golden gloves.

Kasese based Broken won the Fair Play Award.

After four days of intense action in Mbale City, the talented players were given a platform to showcase their skills as the follow up for these players continues.

The parents’ role as well as contribution is also immense and can never be under estimated at any given time.

UYFA delegates also optimally utilized the time in Mbale to convene for the annual general meeting.