Poloto lifts Bukedi closer to Drum semis

Well done. Julius Poloto (right) receives the Man Of the Match accolade from Pallisa LC 5 Chairman Micheal Okurut. PHOTO BY JOHN BATANUDDE

KAMPALA. It will take more than relying on home comfort for Acholi province to upturn Bukedi’s unassailable lead when they meet again in the return leg at the weekend.
Acholi, peerless in gathering crowds for their home games, fell to 1-0 loss to Bukedi at Pallisa Hospital Ground on Saturday.
KCCA forward Julius Poloto was the architect of the victory when he netted the sole goal thus scooping the man of the match accolade.
Renowned for their never-say –never attitude, and physical approach, Acholi tried fighting back in the game through Walter Ochora , Moses Okot and Denis Okot but still found Bukedi, coached by veteran coach Charles Namakola, a hard nut to crack. After a barren draw in Kakyeka stadium between hosts Ankole and Busoga, the tie is now delicately poised ahead this weekend’s Fufa Drum quarterfinal return leg at Bugembe Stadium.
Football and hooliganism are rarely inseparable and that was the case in Mbale where the other quarterfinal tie between hosts Bugisu and West Nile was abondoned before the final whistle.
Fred Amaku gave visitors the lead in the second of the eight added minutes, which sparked of rage and reactions. Furious home fans then invaded the pitch in protest, claiming center referee Ronald Kirangwa had waved off many of their calls and the Bugisu team had a goal disallowed from a direct free-kick.
The tournament local organising committee headed by Fufa executive committee will communicate the decision of the FUFA disciplinary panel for the aforementioned match prior to the return leg, according to federation publicist Ahmed Hussein.
Buganda hosted Kampala in yesterday at Mukono Bishop SSS grounds in the remaining fixture.

FIRST LEG
Bukedi 1-0 Acholi
Bugisu 0-1 West Nile (abandoned)
Ankole 0-0 Busoga