A coin tosses Heathens into Uganda Cup final

You could spend the rest of your life watching local rugby but never get close to witnessing a tie unfold like Saturday’s Rwenzori Uganda Cup semifinal meeting between Kobs and Heathens at Legends Rugby Club.

After 110 minutes of rugby, it took centre referee Rosenberg Kanyunyuzi a coin toss with Kobs captain, Emmanuel Ecodu and his Heathens counterpart Akera Komaketch, watching on under the looming dark of the night to determine a winner.

The two sides could not be separated, forcing match commissioners to turn to the tournament manual that suggested the coin does its work. Komaketch's tail pick came out on top. 

In the end, the coin landed in favour of Heathens to book themselves a place in the final against Stanbic Black Pirates this Saturday. For Kobs, it felt like a dagger in the heart.

The Brian Makalama-coached side had looked the better side as Heathens desperately hung on for their lives towards the end.

“The game was really ours to take especially in the second half, we were the team that looked like we wanted it more and still got the better opportunities especially with the penalties,” Ecodu told Daily Monitor.

At 16 apiece after normal time, Kobs had two penalties missed in extra time, one from distance by Josiah Sempeke and the other by Robert Masendi.

The latter’s effort struck the upright from close range after a big part of the crowd was convinced he had to put Kobs ahead.

Joseph Aredo had been Kobs’ designated kicker before getting discomfort in his right foot. He had levelled matters at 3-3 after a Chris Lubanga penalty had opened the scoring.

Aredo then put Kobs ahead 6-3 before Innocent Gwokto and Ivan Otema tries put Heathens in the driving set at 13-6. Kobs’ dominant scrum forced Heathen to give away a penalty try to put it 13 all, Lubanga then added a penalty which was cancelled out by Masendi’s boot for 16-16.

“I was hoping to win the toss but I was also under immense pressure after a very tight game. Injuries forced our coaches into making changes earlier than planned, killing our momentum as we panicked a bit,” said Heathens captain Komaketch.  

At Kings Park, Pirates made a return to the Uganda Cup final for the first time since 2018, when they won it, as tries from Ivan Kabagambe, Sydney Gongodyo, Timothy Odongo and a Joshua Engwau brace helped to a 30-8 win over Rhinos in the other semifinal. 

Uganda Cup

Semifinals - results 

Kobs 16-Heathens 16 (Heathens win on coin toss after extra time)

Pirates 30-8 Rhinos

Shield semifinals

Impis 22 – 10 Stallions

Warriors 18-8 Titans