Tournament heavyweights Buddo Secondary School and Kyadondo Secondary School suffered stunning quarter-final eliminations, undone by fearless underdogs who refused to bow to reputation.
Buddo’s title ambitions were brutally dismantled by Fort Portal Secondary School, whose disciplined display sealed a dramatic 1–0 victory and a place in the semi-finals.
The decisive moment arrived in the 27th minute, when Kiyingi Ali struck with clinical precision to silence the tournament favourites.
From that point, Buddo laid siege to Fort Portal’s goal.
Wave after wave of attacks followed, particularly in an intense second half where urgency replaced composure.
Yet for all their possession and territorial dominance, the breakthrough never came.
Wayward finishing and resolute defending proved a cruel combination, as Fort Portal guarded their slender lead with remarkable organisation and grit.
The result marked a remarkable turnaround for Fort Portal, who had opened their campaign with a humbling 5–1 defeat to St. Mary’s Boarding Secondary School Bombo.
That early thrashing now feels distant. Rejuvenated in the knockout stage, they displayed tactical maturity and unwavering resilience to fell one of the competition’s giants.
Kyadondo’s fall was equally agonising. Locked at 1–1 after regulation time against Mentor Secondary School, they were ultimately undone in a tense penalty shootout, losing 5–3 from the spot.
Joseph Kakooza had fired Kyadondo into a first-half lead, seemingly steering them toward the last four.
But Mentor refused to yield. In the dying minutes, Epila Emmanuel restored parity, dragging the contest into penalties and shifting the psychological tide.
When the shootout arrived, Mentor showed unflinching composure, converting with authority while Kyadondo faltered.
As the dust settles on a dramatic quarter-final round, the narrative has shifted decisively.
The giants are gone. In their place stand two emboldened challengers—Fort Portal and Mentor—who have turned ambition into belief and belief into unforgettable victories.
