2019 Copa Coca Cola
Friday, 17-05-2019
Kakindu Stadium, Jinja
-St. Marys Kitende 1(7) – 1(6) Buddo SS
-Jinja SS 1-0 Standard High School
JINJA – Wakiso based giants St. Mary’s Kitende and Jinja SS will contest the 2019 Copa Coca Cola final.
The two Schools booked their spot in the Secondary Schools’ showpiece following respective victories in their semifinal matches played on Friday afternoon.
In their game, Kitende drew 1-1 with 2018 champions Buddo SS and later triumphed 7-6 on penalties.
Kitende got off to a flying start, scoring the first goal inside the opening 10 minutes of the contest. The goal was scored by Abdul Watambala off a ferocious shot.
On 31 minutes, Buddo equalized through semifinal hero Emmanuel Loki. Loki was also the one who banged both Buddo goals as they overcame Jinja Progressive Academy 2-0 in the last eight on Thursday morning.
With neither side able to find the winner in a tense second half, the two Wakiso District giants had to face the pressure of spot kicks to find a winner between them.
In the shootouts, a winner was only determined after 20 spot-kicks with Kitende running out 7-6 victors to storm the finals.
Charles Lwanga, Yiga Najib, Jacob Okao, Musa Ssali, Ahmed Amayo, Abdul Karim Watambala and Ivan Asaba all found the net from 12 yards for Kitende while Andrew Kawooya, Bobosi Byaruhanga and Aziz Kayondo missed.
For Buddo, Joseph Bukenya, Hamza Mulambuzi, Ibrahim Bbosa, Abu Kajabwangu, Musa Segujja and Ronald Innocent converted their penalties while Godfrey Arijole, Kiggundu, Joseph Kafumbe and Dhata Kafumbe were denied.
In the other semifinal, Jinja SS scrapped past 10 man Standard High School 1-0 in an ill-tempered and dramatic game that saw tear gas fired at some point.
The game was highlighted by referees’ changes after the first set disallowed two goals, one for either side, in a space of a minute, proving that the tension in the duel was too much for them.
The drama started after the referee blew for a foul on the Standard High custodian yet the ball had already gone into the back of the net. In response, Standard made a quick restart as Jinja players were celebrating what they thought was a goal and the Wakiso based School scored one of their own at the other end.
The referee disallowed Standard’s goal and in a gesture, signaled that the Jinja SS goal had been allowed. Standard players protested and refused to resume the game, the tournament organizers intervened and the game was stopped for about 30 minutes.
On resumption, a new set of referees led the teams back onto the pitch and the game was restarted at 0-0.
In the first half of the restarted duel, Standard’s Arron Okwi was sent off for a dangerous tackle, leaving his side to play most of the game with 10 men.
However, Jinja could not find the break through as the half ended 0-0.
Much to the Jubilation of the home crowd, Jinja scored the all-important goal in the second half through Ashraf Kawasi and in the process, won the game 1-0 to reach the finals.
Jinja SS and St. Mary’s Kitende will now face off in the final of the competition on Saturday afternoon at Kakindu Stadium, to determine the winner.
Kitende has won the competition 8 times with the last triumph coming in 2015. For Jinja SS, they are seeking to win it for only the second time with their only win coming in 2017.
Kibuli are the record winners having won it 11 times.
