Reigning champions Busiki were stunned on Friday in a nail-biting 1-0 defeat to Bugabula, while other emerging teams battled for a place in the semi-finals. Here's a roundup of the action.
Bugembe -- The MTN Busoga Masaza Cup quarterfinals brought a weekend of thrilling upsets and intense matchups, as thousands of fans gathered at Kyabazinga Stadium to witness the crowning of new contenders.
Reigning champions Busiki were stunned on Friday in a nail-biting 1-0 defeat to Bugabula, while other emerging teams battled for a place in the semi-finals. Here's a roundup of the action.
Friday Results
- -Bugabula 1-0 Busiki
- Budiope 0-2 Bukono
Saturday Results
- Kigulu 0-1 Buzaaya
- Bunha 1-3 Butembe
Bugabula Stuns Defending Champions Busiki
Butembe (green) taking on Bunha (orange) in the MTN Busoga Masaza Cup The quarterfinal opener on Friday saw Bugabula eliminate the defending champions, Busiki, with a brilliant 25-yard strike from Edgar Magombe in the 55th minute.
Magombe's goal curled past Busiki's goalkeeper, Andrew Aboket, propelling Bugabula to their third consecutive semifinal.
Busiki's coach, Dennis Watuke, cited disrupted preparation as a key factor in their loss. "We were unlucky to lose today due to my team failing to find the rhythm they had during the group stages.
My blame goes to the organizers for delaying the knockout matches, which affected our fitness and team chemistry," said Watuke.
Meanwhile, Bugabula's coach, Ronald Lukungu, praised his team's readiness.
"While other teams rested, I kept my players in training after the preliminary matches. I set a target of seven wins to lift this trophy, and now we're just two wins away," he said.
Bukono joined Bugabula in the semifinals with a confident 2-0 win over Budiope, as Joel Bola Matua scored both goals to secure Bukono's first-ever semifinal appearance.
Budiope's coach, Isa Kifuwa, lamented missed chances by strikers Moses Adrole and Umaru Baluzibya, while Bukono coach Hussein Agaba credited his team's preparation.
"We weren't the stronger side, but luck and good preparation got us through," Agaba noted.
Buzaaya and Butembe Prevail in Saturday Showdowns
Bukono player (blue) taking on Budiope striker On Saturday, Buzaaya continued their impressive campaign by defeating Kigulu 1-0. Owen Mawejje scored the winning goal, taking Buzaaya to their first-ever semifinal.
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Kigulu coach Saleh Muwayi expressed disappointment in his team's fitness, saying, "We lacked a killer instinct and weren't fit enough to stay in the game."
Butembe secured their semifinal spot with a dominant 3-1 victory over Bunha. Goals from Nicolous Mukiibi (penalty), Ibrahim Ssajabi, and Jonathan Waisswa saw Butembe's fans celebrating as they advanced to a record sixth semifinal.
Faizal Nadiope scored an early equalizer for Bunha, but Butembe soon took control.
Semifinal Fixtures
With MTN's support of Shs 550 million, excitement is at an all-time high as these teams prepare for the semifinals:
- Bukono vs. Buzaaya - 12 pm
- Bugabula vs. Butembe - 3 pm
The semifinal matchups promise more thrilling action as both established and fresh contenders pursue their dream of winning the MTN Busoga Masaza Cup.
Fans can look forward to a weekend of high-stakes, top-tier football as the tournament nears its finale.
