Ronald Ofungi delivered a decisive impact off the bench as Madina Islamic Secondary School edged Aidan College Ndejje 1-0 in a tense Round of 32 encounter at the ongoing Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) National Boys Football Championship.
Introduced in the 30th minute for Nelson Mandela Kabereke, Ofungi proved to be the game-changer when he struck in the 65th minute, calmly finishing past the Aidan goalkeeper to hand Madina a crucial lead that ultimately stood as the winner.
The all-Wakiso District clash lived up to its billing, producing a fiercely contested affair marked by high intensity and multiple goal-scoring opportunities for both sides.
However, a lack of clinical finishing ensured the game was decided by a single moment of quality.
Madina Islamic now face a stern Round of 16 test against St. Mary’s Boarding Secondary School, Kitende, who progressed emphatically after a commanding 4-0 victory over Kitara Secondary School.
In another tightly fought fixture, Simon Kafuuma netted the decisive goal as Masaka Secondary School secured a 1-0 win over Lakeside Masese.
The result sets up an intriguing Round of 16 showdown against Lubiri Secondary School, who also advanced with a narrow 1-0 triumph over Ngora High School.
The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for Saturday, May 16, across various venues in Lira.
The championship, which kicked off on May 10, will culminate on May 19 at Lira Town College Playground.
The top four teams will earn qualification to represent Uganda at the Federation of East Africa Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) Games set for August in Morogoro, Tanzania.
