ENTEBBE, UGANDA – 15^th JULY 2023

The first ever Champions Cup tournament in Uganda was well packaged. Football was inter-mingled with special training in hygiene, disease prevention, mental well-being, and reproductive health courtesy of Green Sports Africa (GSA) in conjunction with the Master Card Foundation.

Lweza Starlets Soccer Academy defied all the odds to emerge victorious during the enticing U-21 football gala held at the lake side ESA Park – Kitubulu in Katabi Town Council, Wakiso district on Saturday, 15^th July 2023.

Marvin Mukiibi, 18, scored the all-important goal of the well contested finale against the Big Boys Team before a passionate crowd.

The victorious team (Lweza Starlets Soccer Academy) was rewarded with a glittering trophy, gold medals, a cash reward of $600 (at least Ug.shs 2.1M) and a set of jerseys (like the other 7 quarter finalists).

“It feels nice to win” Mukiibi revealed. “To play in such a tournament of the Champions Cup is a big honour. I have learnt a lot especially to do with quick reaction, proper game management and basically health improvement. I thank the my teammates, the opponents, organizers Green Sports Africa and the sponsors Master Card Foundation” Mukiibi, who also turns out for Wakiso Giants and a student at St Mary’s Kitende added.

The runners up (Big Boys team) earned silver medals, cash worth $200 (at least Ug.shs 700,000) and a jersey set, just like the rest of the successful quarter finalists.

The gala played under favourable sunny weather conditions lured as many as 16 teams from Entebbe, the greater Wakiso area and Kampala Cosmopolitan area.

Before the footballing end proper, the players and team managers were taken through a special session in hygiene, disease prevention, mental well-being, and reproductive health at Kalangala Hall in the lavish Best Western Premier Hotel (Entebbe).

“We learnt a great deal on how to handle these young players especially issues concerning reproductive health. The health worker at the session was spot-on as she emphasized key issues on life management especially as regards the killer diseases of HIV/AIDS, Corona Virus and others. This was very beneficial” Hajji Mwerusi, the director of Entebbe City Soccer Academy noted.

Kassim Ismaily, a director at Green Sports Africa (GSA) tagged the version of Champions Cup Uganda as a total success.

Ismaily lauded all the participating teams, organizing team, local leaders, health worker, security, football leaders in Uganda, ESA Park management and every stakeholder who had contributed positively to the success of this project.

“We had a very successful Champions Cup in Uganda. I thank every stakeholder who contributed positively from the players, their managers and coaches, health worker, venue people, media and the community. Asante Sana (thank you) so much. Our key partners, the Master Card Foundation take a lion’s share of this praise for the job well executed.” Ismaily revealed.

The team on ground identified a couple of outstanding players and will liaise with their leaders to advance their football careers through the Green Sports Africa (GSA) network on the entire African continent.

For starters, GSA has firmly established roots in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria with prospects of drastically spreading wings to the rest of the countries.

All Results:

Group Stages:

Entebbe City Soccer 1-0 Entebbe City Lads

Scorer: Conelius Muyimbwa

 

Fimbo Soccer Academy Team One 1-0 Entebbe Pride

Scorer:Allan Mungu

 

ESA Park 2-0 Garuga Soccer Academy

 

Lweza Starlets 1-1 Together as One

 

Scorers: Rashid Mugulusi (Together as One), Marvin Mukiibi (Lweza Starlets)

 

Entebbe Old Stars Soccer Academy 0-0 Garuga Soccer Club

 

Lake View Kitinda 2-0 Entebbe Soccer Academy

Scorers: Andrew Ogema, Ramathan Latibu

 

Excel Soccer Academy 3-1 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team Two

Scorers: Jeremy Matata X3 (Excel Soccer Academy), Ali Malik (Fimbo Soccer Academy Team Two)

 

Best Western 2-0 Entebbe City Soccer

Scorer: David Mulungi X2

 

Entebbe City Lads 0-1 Big Boys

Scorer: Wilber Musinguzi

 

Garuga Academy 0-0 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team One

 

Entebbe All Stars 1-1 Together as One

Scorers: Watib Remember  (Together as One), Emmanuel Kaweesi (Entebbe All Stars)

 

Lweza Starlets 1-0 Garuga Soccer Club

Scorer: Stephan Walumu

 

Entebbe Kitinda 2-0 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team Two

Scorers: RodgersRwothomio, Nobert  Enzama

 

Big Boys 0-0 Entebbe City Soccer

 

Best Western1-0 Entebbe City Lads

Scorer: Emmanuel Batambairwe

 

Entebbe Pride 2-0 Garuga Soccer Academy

Scorers: Brian Kiyimba, Caros Kaddu

 

ESA Park 0-0 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team One

 

Lweza Starlet 1-1 Entebbe Old Stars

Scorers: Stephen Walumu (Lweza Starlets), Emmanuel Kaweesi (Entebbe Old Stars)

 

Garuga Soccer Academy 0-0 Together as One

 

Entebbe Soccer Academy 0-0 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team Two

 

Excel Soccer Academy 1-0 Entebbe Kitinda

Scorer: Jeremy Matata

 

Quarter finals:

Best Western 1-0 Fimbo Soccer Academy Team One

Scorer: David Mulungi

 

ESA Park 0-2 Big Boys

Scorers: Badru Ssembatya, Arafat Kabanda

 

Lweza Starlets 1-0 Excel

Scorer: Alex Yiga

 

Lake View 0(2) – 0(1) Entebbe Old Stars

 

 Semi Finals:

Lweza Starlets 0(3) – 0(2) Best Western

Big Boys 1-0 Lake View

Scorer: Arafat Kabanda

Bronze Medal Match: Lake View 0(2) – 0(0) Best Western

 

Final: Lweza Starlets 1-0 Big Boys

Scorer: Marvin Mukiibi