Royal Giant 4-2 Amus College: Kizito, Ankunda star in ill-tempered 3rd place playoff | 2023 USSSA Boys Football Championship

2023 USSSA Football (Boys):

Finals:

• St Mary’s Kitende 1-0 St Henry’s College Kitovu

Third-place play-off:

• Royal Giant High School 4-2 Amus College School

Royal Giant High School out-muscled Amus College School 4-2 at the Nyakasura school playground to finish third at the 2023 Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) boys’ football championship.

Juma Kizito and Annest Ankunda each scored a brace during a duel that had tempers flared.

Abdul Razak and Allan Oyirwoth got the two goals for Amus College School.

Razak got the opener for Amus College in the opening 10 minutes.

The joy was short-lived with a Kizito’s equalizer 10 minutes later capitalizing on a defensive lapse between defender Ashiru Ssembatya Ssonko and goalkeeper Mwerusi.

Kizito doubled the lead to take the 2-1 lead by the opening half hour mark.

Amus equalized the game 2-all, thanks to Allan Oyirwoth’s penalty that was highly contested and protested by the Royal Giants’ players.

Moments before restart of play for the second half, Royal Giants’ team doctor Hakim Bukenya was sent off for attempting to attack the referee, Joshua Dullah.

Ankunda struck a spectacular long range shot into the roof of the net from over 45 yards to lead 3-2.

With 10 minutes to play, Ankunda utilized a defense splitting through ball from talisman Elvis Ssekajugo to make it 4-2.

The victory not only assured Royal Giant High School bronze and third place, but also, a slot at the 2023 FEASSSA Games in Huye city, Rwanda.

“We worked so hard throughout the game. The tempers rose high at some stage, but, I urged my players to settle and play the game. This is how we won the game. I am so happy that we made it to East African Games” Frank Mulindwa, Royal Giants High School head coach revealed.

Meanwhile, St Mary’s SS Kitende won their 12^th trophy in as many years.

The Wakiso based school overcame Masaka’s St Henry’s College Kitovu (SHACK) 1-0 in the well-attended finale.

Habib Oloya was the hero with the lone goal, brushing home an inviting throw-in from the captain, Justine Opiro.

Individual Awards:

Royal Giants’ Shamulan Kamya was best goalkeeper of the tournament.

Abdulnoor Nsereko (St Mary’s Kitende) scored 11 goals to take the top scorers’ boot and Allan Oyirwoth (Amus College School) won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade.

The tournament lasted for 14 days, hosted by Nyakasura school in the Tourism city of Fort Portal.

Semi-finals:

• St Mary’s Boarding SS Kitende 1 (5) – 1 (3) Amus College School
• St Henry’s College Kitovu 1 (6) – 1 (5) Royal Giant High School Mityana

Quarter finals:

• Amus College School 3-1 Kibuli S.S
• St Mary’s Boarding SS Kitende 2-1 Standard High Zzana
• St Henry’s College Kitovu 1-0 West Ville High School
• Buddo S.S 0-1 Royal Giant High School Mityana

 Round of 16:

• Kibuli S.S 4-1 Nkoma S.S
• Amus College School 2-1 Mukono Kings
• St Mary’s Kitende 6-0 Bishop Negri College
• Standard High School Zzana 0 (5) – 0 (4) Kawempe Muslim S.S
• Buddo S.S 3-0 Kigumba Royal College
• Jinja Progressive Academy 1 (2) – 1 (4) Royal Giant High School
• St Henry’s College Kitovu 4-1 London College Nansana
• West Ville High School 0 (5) – 0 (4) St Joseph College Layibi