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Fufa Drum heavyweights brace for Group stage battles
Joshua Cheptegei (in glasses) watching the Sebei vs. Kampala match at Sebei College on Sunday. PHOTO/COURTESY OF FUFA
What you need to know:
The early scuffles saw no major upsets, as traditional powerhouses Kampala, Bunyoro, Ankole, and Bugisu flexed their muscle to brush aside the minnows—Karamoja, Bukedi, Rwenzori, and Sebei - securing their places in the fiercely contested group stage.
The preliminary stage of the Fufa Drum tournament has lived up to the old adage - separating the boys from the men.
The early scuffles saw no major upsets, as traditional powerhouses Kampala, Bunyoro, Ankole, and Bugisu flexed their muscle to brush aside the minnows—Karamoja, Bukedi, Rwenzori, and Sebei - securing their places in the fiercely contested group stage.
Now, with the stage set for the next chapter beginning August 24, the tournament promises nothing short of fireworks.
The four groups are so finely balanced that predicting the two teams from each to make the quarterfinals is a gambler’s nightmare.
Over the weekend, Kampala, despite being held to a goalless draw by a spirited Bukedi, progressed comfortably thanks to their 2-1 first-leg victory.
Meanwhile, Ankole, though suffering a 2-1 away loss to Sebei, had already done the damage at Kakyeka with a commanding 5-1 win, sealing a 6-3 aggregate triumph.
Cheptegei nod of approval
The tournament’s ancestral theme received a resounding nod when Uganda’s long-distance running legend, Joshua Cheptegei, graced the Sebei vs. Ankole clash at Sebei College, joining a passionate sea of fans.
Elsewhere, Bugisu secured their passage with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Karamoja, following up their first-leg win with a goalless stalemate. Bunyoro, in a nail-biting contest, edged Rwenzori 3-2 on aggregate.
Dicey Group stage
With four months to go before the battle resumes, anticipation is brewing.
Group A features West Nile Province, the former champions who edged Lango 3-2 on aggregate in the third edition final in January 2023.
They will be joined by Acholi, the 2019 winners who held their nerve to defeat Bukedi 5-3 in a penalty shootout after a goalless 90 minutes, and Bugisu, a side yet to break past the group stage shackles but now eyeing a historic run.
In Group B, Buganda, the inaugural champions who lifted the Fufa Drum trophy in 2018 amidst wild celebrations in Arua, will lock horns with Lango, the defending champions who outclassed Busoga in last year’s final at Lugogo.
Completing the trio is Ankole, an unpredictable side banking on the leadership and defensive prowess of Vipers’ stalwart Hillary Mukundane to upset the established order.
Group C has no former champions, but Busoga and Bunyoro appear favorites to advance, leaving Kigezi with an uphill battle to cause an upset.
Similarly, in Group D, none of Kampala, Teso, or Tooro have ever tasted Fufa Drum glory.
However, Kampala, long regarded as the 'heartbeat' of Ugandan football, seems the most determined to finally rise to the lofty expectations that many attach to it.
Fufa Drum Tournament
Groups
Group A: West Nile, Acholi, Bugisu
Group B: Lango, Buganda, Ankole
Group C: Busoga, Kigezi, Bunyoro
Group D: Teso, Kampala, Tooro
