By: Kayiira Jackson
The 37th edition of the UMEA Solidarity games kicked off today, Friday at Namagabi Secondary School – Kayunga.
At least 47 Muslim based schools in Uganda have turned up for this championship.
In football, the hosts, Namagabi Secondary School needed the skipper Wasswa Hassan Kitega to score twice to rescue a point against resilient Aringa SS in the official tournament game opener held at Namagabi SS main group.
Before the chief guest and the member of Parliament representing the people of Ntenjeru North, Aringa SS took the lead via Dairo Hassan before Muhammad Yaba extended the lead with a super header.
In the second stanza, Wasswa Hassan got a consolation for the hosts with a spot kick before he leveled the matters in the dying minutes with a far post header.
On the other hand, the Buganda Cup champions and USSSA Kampala Region losing finalists, Kawempe Muslim SS survived with a whisker, they shared spoils with Kasana Vocational school in their group H opening fixture held at Yale High School.
With a rebound from a well taken free kick, Balikoowa Sudaisi handed Kasana a lead but in the last five minutes of the match, Kawempe Muslim leveled the matters through substitute, Mutebi Abdulahuman who had a screamer outside the box area.
However, in the second minute of the added three, Kasana reclaimed their lead via Kapere Emmanuel and the side went in the crazy celebrating believing it was done and dusted but at the restarted of the match, Mutebi had a long disturbing over the top ball that beat the Kasana Vocational defense, land on a well positioned Ssekitooleko Ryan who dramatically leveled the matters again.
The match ended square.
In the same group, Mbogo Mixed beat Bilal Islamic 4-0 to top the table on day one.
The group stage matches shall continue tomorrow on various grounds.
Selected results;
Kyantamba SS 1-0 Nkoma SS
Kyadondo SS 4-1Kasawo
Kasana Vocational 2-2 Kawempe Muslim
Kisaasi Muslim 0-5 Sseke SS
Namagabi SS 2-2 Aringa
Mbogo Mixed 4-0 Bilal Islamic
Kyantamba SS 1-0 Nkoma SS
