Uganda Martyrs sacrifice St. Lawrence for second UFL title

Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) head coach Eric Kisuze prior to Saturday's Pepsi University Football League (UFL) final against St. Lawrence University talked of the need for his to team keep a winning mentality.

That advice came in handy as his UMU side fought gallantly and rode their luck at times before holding out for a 1-0 win over St. Lawrence and clinch their second UFL title at the Phillip Omondi Stadium, Lugogo.

Sunny Kaija scored the decisive goal when he rose highest to head in Joseph Kayondo's corner kick on 28 minutes.

A combination of good goalkeeping from UMU's Sadam Okoboi who denied forwards Bruno Bunyaga and Umar Kayemba and some luck then contributed to the victory.

Bunyaga who finished as top scorer with 12 goals also had an effort strike the base of the post early in the second half as the much sought after equalizer failed to materialize.

The result meant the St. Lawrence coaching duo of Nnono Ssozi and Fred Bakisura have now lost successive finals after losing to UCU in 2019 when the league was last played to completion.

But UMU will feel worthy winners in a season where they have only lost one game. 

Kisuze's charges breezed past Kampala University, Ndejje University and Gulu University topping Group E with 12 points after winning four games and drawing twice .

They then eliminated Bugema University 3-2 on aggregate at the quarterfinal stage, the first leg ending 1-1 in Bugema before relying on home comfort to record a 2-1 win in Nkozi.  

UMU also accounted for defending champions UCU in the semi-finals after 5-4 penalty shootout victory. 

UCU won the first leg 1-0 before UMU responded with a similar result in Nkozi.

UMU now join Kampala University and Makerere University Business School as two-time winners.
 

Pepsi University Football League Final

Uganda Martyrs University 1-0 St. Lawrence University

Third place playoff

UCU 1-1 Mubs (UCU won 4-3 on penalties)

Past winners

2012 - Muk

2013 - KU

2014 - Mubs

2015 - Mubs

2016 - KU

2017 - UMU

2018- Kyambogo

2019- UCU