History was written in Lira City as Amus College School clinched their first-ever USSSA National Boys’ Football Championship, edging Bukedea Comprehensive School South 1-0 in a tense and tactically rich final.
Played before a vibrant crowd at Lira Town College playground, the all-Teso derby delivered intensity, discipline and fine margins.
The decisive moment arrived in the opening half when John Brian Otim unleashed a ferocious free kick that beat goalkeeper Anthony Kantangalo in wet conditions, handing Amus an early advantage.
From that point, Amus College recalibrated their approach, retreating into a compact defensive structure designed to protect their slender lead. Their game management proved decisive.
Bukedea Comprehensive School South returned from the break reinvigorated, now aided by a shift in weather from rain to blazing sunshine.
They launched relentless attacking waves, with Simon Wanyama, Patrick Senkusu, captain Denis Ssewagudde and Ryan Giggs Osinya all testing the resolve of Amus.
However, Amus remained unyielding. Goalkeeper Usama Chagamo stood firm between the posts, while Patrick Neri Wobuteya marshalled the backline with authority.
Skipper Jamil Iddi Rashid embodied composure and tactical intelligence, as Amus combined discipline with calculated game management to see out the contest.
At the final whistle from FIFA referee Dick Okello, jubilation erupted among Amus players, officials and supporters—marking the culmination of a landmark campaign.
In the third-place playoff, St Mary’s Kitende secured bronze with a commanding 3-0 victory over Kyadondo SS Matugga, underlining their pedigree on the national stage.
The semifinalists—Amus College School, Bukedea Comprehensive School South, St Mary’s Kitende and Kyadondo SS Matugga—have all qualified for the forthcoming FEASSA Games in Morogoro, Tanzania (12th–22nd August 2026), as well as the ISF World Cup scheduled for October in China.
The championship, which attracted over 1,200 students from 64 schools, continues to affirm its stature as a cornerstone of youth football development in Uganda.
“I commend the local organizing committee and national organizing committee for organizing a great championship.
We have made a great leap to tame age cheating. USSSA reaffirms commitment to mass-sports, infrastructure development and wholestic development of students.”
Amus College now joins a distinguished roll of honour that has been dominated over the years by traditional powerhouses such as St Mary’s Kitende, Kibuli SS and Buddo SS—signalling the rise of a new force in school football.
