Wakiso Hill, Rhines win Buganda region ARS qualifiers

Youth football coaches around the country have been advised not to aim at winning tournaments per se but focus more on developing footballers from the grassroots.

FUFA Technical Director Asuman Lubowa sounded the call after the Season V1 Airtel Rising Stars Buganda region qualifiers at the St. Peters Technical School ground on Sunday where many participants failed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans which are used to determine the right ages of the U-17 players.

"At this level we should be looking at developing and nurturing these youngsters instead of coming with the mentality of only winning which sometimes forces some to use over age players," Lubowa said.

And the coaches will have to focus even more on scoring drills after both finals ended goalless.

Wakiso Hill SS and Rhines emerged victorious in the two-day event, beating Mubende Select and Wakiso 3-2 and 4-3 on penalties after 0-0 draws in both finals respectively to win themselves trophies and sh1m each. The runners up walked away with sh500,000 each.

In the boys shoot-out Wakiso's Masood Kafeero, Julius Kintu, Andrew Kawooya and William Katende converted their spot kicks while Mubende's Geoffrey Nambafu, Najib Yiga and Christopher Arinaitwe scored theirs with Rogers Ssekate blowing his over the bar.

Rhines' Susan Nambatya, Manjeri Bikufiraki and Hajara Namugenyi scored in the girls' final while Josephine Nakyewa and Shaminah Nakalyowa were the only Bishop SS's scorers in the shoot-out following a 0-0 draw.

En-route to the finals Rhines beat the All Stars while Mukono Bishop's SS eliminated Pro Talents in the round robin contest.

Mubende select had also seen off Bishop's SS 6-5 in another penalty shoot-out where Wakiso beat Mityana 3-2.

The next set of qualifiers will be held this weekend in Soroti (East and North East) FUFA region.

Finals

Girls: Rhines 0 (2) Bishop's SS 0 (3)

Boys: Mubende Select 0 (3) Wakiso Hill 0 (4)

Individual Awards

MVPs

Boys: Masood Kafumbe (Wakiso)

Girls: Shaminah Nakalyowa (Bishop's SS)

Top scorers

Boys: Musa Bakabulindi (Wakiso) 3 goals

Girls: Sarah Kabuyonjo (Rhines) 3 goals

Sumaya Tibazahika (Rhines) 3 goals

Best goalkeepers

Boys: Najib Yiga (Mubende)

Girls: Elsie Najjemba (Bishop's SS)