St Mary’s SS Kitende eject Copa defending Champions Buddo, progress to finals

2019 Copa Coca Cola Football Championship

1^st Semifinal

• St Mary’s SS Kitende 1 (7) -1 (6) Buddo SS

2^nd Semi-final:

• Jinja SS 1-0 Standard High School, Zana

St Mary’s Secondary School Kitende (SMASK) progressed to the finals of the 2019 Copa Coca Cola championships after a nervy 7-6 post match penalty victory during a well contested semifinal at Kakindu Stadium, Jinja on Friday.

Normal time of this game had ended one goal apiece before the tense post-match penalties came knocking.

St Mary’s Kitende drew the first blood scoring through Abdul Karim Watambala’s bullet shot inside the goal area after 10 minutes into the game.

The game was then marred by numerous stoppages as St Mary’s SS Kitende players suffered knocks from a physical Buddo side.

Buddo eventually found the equalizer on the half hour mark through lanky striker Emmanuel Loki.

Half time ended one goal apiece and there were no further goals in the second stanza of the game.

In the lengthy dramatic shoot out, either side witnessed three players missing their respective kicks and St Mary’s Kitende won 7-6.

Charles Lwanga, Yiga Najib, Jacob Okao, Musa Ssali, Ahmed Amayo, Abdul Karim Watambala and Ivan Asaba scored their kicks from the penalty spot.

Andrew Kawooya, Bobosi Byaruhanga and skipper Aziz Kayondo missed for SMASK.

Joseph Bukenya, Hamza Mulambuzi, Ibrahim Bbosa, Abu Kajabwangu, Musa Segujja and Ronald Innocent netted for Buddo.

Godfrey Arijole, Kiggundu as well as the Joseph duo of Dhata and Kafumbe missed.

There were celebrations for St Mary’s SS Kitende players and fans  celebrated wildly having revenged against Buddo.

The jubilating players raced towards the direction of the SMASK director Lawrence Mulindwa as Buddo players bowed down in tears.

In the dramatic second semifinal, home school Jinja SS beat Wakiso based Standard High School 1-0 with tear gas taking over thereafter.

Ashraf Kawaasi scored the all important goal for Jinja SS in a fully charged encounter.

Standard High School ended the game with 10 men following a red card.

The game was marred by dramatic scenes that involved a complete change of referees after the initial pairing had failed to handle the tempo and temperature of the game, disallowing two goals, one from either side in a space of a minute.

St Mary’s SS Kitende will face Jinja SS in the final on Saturday at Kakindu Stadium at 3 PM.

Losing semi-finalists Buddo and Standard High Zana will face off in the earlier third place kick off at 11 AM.