Aredo kicks Kobs to semis as quartet sail through
Kobs' Joseph Aredo avoids a challenge from Buffaloes' Ronald Kanyanya. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Josiah Ssempeke, who had assumed early kicking duties for Kobs, slotted in two penalties as the Timothy Mudoola-coached side scrambled for points to erase the deficit.
Joseph Aredo was once again the hero for Kobs as his last-gasp penalty sealed a dramatic semifinal spot in the Nile Special Rugby Premiership after a nerve-wracking encounter against a spirited Buffaloes side.
Buffaloes had stunned Kobs with a 17-7 first-leg victory at Kyadondo and proved it was no fluke when they crossed to Legends to push the blue army to the brink.
Josiah Ssempeke, who had assumed early kicking duties for Kobs, slotted in two penalties as the Timothy Mudoola-coached side scrambled for points to erase the deficit.
Pius Ogena and Aredo then crossed the whitewash twice with Ssempeke converting both to give the hosts a commanding 20-0 lead, flipping the tie in their favour.
But Buffaloes weren’t done as Liam Walker split the uprights with a penalty to keep the visitors’ Toyota-powered machine running into a bruising second half.
If Ssempeke’s boots shone bright in the first half, Walker’s sparkled in the second. He calmly converted eleven points from the tee and added to Douglas Musoke’s try as Buffaloes charged their way to a stunning 36-34 lead, throwing the Kobs bench into disbelief.
But like it has happened several times this season including their dramatic late win over Jinja Hippos to secure second place in the regular season, Aredo stepped up under pressure and coolly sent the final penalty sailing between the posts, sparking wild celebrations from the blue stands.
Elsewhere at Kings Park Arena, drama erupted in the 66th minute with Pirates comfortably leading Walukuba Barbarians 36-6.
The ball appeared to have gone out of play before Barbarians’ Ahmed Ssekyanzi tackled Jeremiah Okello. His teammate Haruna Muhammed rushed in to retaliate and thus sparked a brawl that lasted nearly five minutes.
After tempers cooled, centre referee Gonzaga Mayanja issued yellow cards to both Ssekyanzi and Muhammed and awarded Walukuba a penalty.
However, the visitors from Jinja had seen enough. In protest, they declined to take the penalty kick and instead walked off the pitch and therefore abandoned the match.
Pirates were awarded a 63-26 victory and booked a semifinal date with Heathens, whose 41-26 win over Victoria Sharks was enough to send them through, following a 10-10 stalemate in the first leg.
In Jinja, home side Hippos did just enough to beat Rhinos 32-19, securing a 52-39 aggregate victory over two legs. Jinja Hippos now set up another blockbuster semifinal clash with Kobs, hosting the Legends side in Jinja for the first leg.
NILE SPECIAL RUGBY PREMIERSHIP
Quarterfinal results
Heathens 10-10 Victoria Sharks
(Agg: 51 - 36)
Jinja Hippos 32-19 Rhinos
(Agg: 52 - 30)
Kobs 30-19 Buffaloes
(Agg: 37 - 36)
Pirates 36-06 Walukuba Barbarians
(Agg: 63 - 26)
