Edwin Wokoli was destroyer in chief as Nabumali High School beat Nganwa
High School Kabwohe 3-0 in the final.of the second edition of the Fufa TV Cup held at Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru on Wednesday.
Nganwa came to the final with four clean sheets and just four goals conceded in 10 matches but that was quickly quashed when Philip Cheptoek’s searching long ball was put under good control by Gerald Ochwo.
Nabumali’s front-foot approach was perhaps helped by the DJ’s choice to play the famous Gishu dance, Kadodi, just before the end of the warmups. By the time he tried to switch to music from western Uganda, it was too late as the pre-match rituals, which started with last year’s best player Gift Fred Mutalya bringing the new 10kg trophy to the pitch, were already in motion.
Back on pitch, Ochwo sold Nganwa’s keeper and captain Bertin Manzi a dummy then slotted home the opener in the sixth minute.
Three minutes later, Cheptoek nearly turned villain as his poor clearance fell to Stanley Kabugu to equalize but he shot wide with the goal gaping.
In the 12th minute, Nganwa struggled to defend yet another long ball and Wokoi raced through on goal to double the lead.
By the time the weather turned cold at the end of the first half, and the rain later came down in the second, Nabumali were sitting pretty and comfortable on top of proceedings.
Every drop and drop in temperature seemed to sink into the turf with bits of Nganwa’s energy. They played the entire tournament from the preliminary round to get into the Round of 64 until the semis with a never say attitude that kept getting goals when it mattered. On Wednesday, they could not summon any of that fight.
In the 60th minute, Wokoli, who could have bagged as many as he wanted but for wayward finishing, doubled his money after a sloppy save from Manzi and was rightly named most valuable player of the tournament in a rain-soaked prize ceremony.
Earlier, Jinja SSS treated the home crowd to some joy as they beat Lango College 2-1 in the third place playoff.
Hamisi Magumba scored in the 35th and 50th minute to put Jinja in control. Emmanuel Ogwal halved the deficit as early as the 60th minute but Jinja successfully repelled the Lira-based side’s late rally.
Finals: Nabumali HS 3-0 Nganwa HS
Third Place Playoffs: Jinja SSS 2-1 Lango College
2023: St. Mary’s College Kisubi
2024: Nabumali High School
Fair play: Sebei College Tegeres
Goalkeeper: Bertin Manzi (Nganwa HS) – 4 clean sheets
Top scorer: Yasin Obonyo (Lango College) – 10 goals
MVP: Edwin Wokoli (Nabumali HS)
