Fort Portal City announced themselves as serious contenders in the 5th edition of the Tooro Kingdom MTN Masaza Tournament with an emphatic victory on Friday, while Sunday’s tightly contested draw between Bunyangabu and Mwenge South ensured the race for the knockout stages remains delicately balanced.
The weekend also produced significant developments in the netball competition, where Fort Portal strengthened their credentials with a commanding performance to edge closer to the quarter-finals, as thousands of fans once again turned out across the kingdom to celebrate football, netball and community.
Fort Portal make statement in football and netball
Matchday Three began at Buhinga Stadium on Friday with Fort Portal City enjoying a memorable outing in both disciplines.
In the netball competition, Fort Portal delivered one of the tournament’s most dominant displays, thrashing Mwenge North 68-12 in a Group C encounter to move into pole position for a place in the knockout stages.
The group’s qualification race took another twist after Ntoroko failed to honour their fixture, handing Mwenge North the opportunity to claim valuable points that could prove decisive in the battle for one of the quarter-final places.
Elsewhere, Mwenge South continue to lead Group A, Kitagwenda top Group B, while Fort Portal now sit at the summit of Group C. Kyaka, Burahya and Mwenge North remain firmly in contention for the two best second-placed qualification spots.
The football encounter that followed belonged to Fort Portal City, who produced an accomplished attacking performance to dispatch Mwenge North 3-0.
The match was officially graced by Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, whose presence reinforced the tournament’s growing importance in bringing communities together through sport.
Fort Portal controlled proceedings from the opening whistle and eventually broke through courtesy of Kwezi Boris, who opened the scoring before adding his second of the afternoon after the break. Kato George completed the scoring to cap an impressive display from the hosts.
Kwezi Boris’ outstanding performance earned him the MTN Player of the Match accolade and a UGX 200,000 cash prize via MTN MoMo.
Fort Portal captain Malik Yasin praised his teammates for executing their game plan.
“It was our first game of the tournament and we wanted victory. I am happy that we played as a team and won the game,” he said.
He also thanked the supporters and sponsors for standing behind the team.
“We thank our fans and sponsors who did all they could to ensure that we win the game, though it wasn’t easy.”
Mwenge North coach Vandar Tadeo Apuuli admitted his side paid for costly mistakes but remained optimistic ahead of their next fixture.
“It wasn’t an easy game, though some few mistakes made us lose the game,” he said.
Goalkeepers steal the spotlight in Bunyangabu stalemate
Sunday’s fixture at a packed Butiiti Playground in Bunyangabu provided a different kind of spectacle, with defensive discipline taking centre stage as Bunyangabu and Mwenge South played out an entertaining 0-0 draw.
Although neither side found the breakthrough, both teams created opportunities in a match played at a high professional standard before an enthusiastic crowd.
The result leaves Group A finely poised. Bunyangabu’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals now hang in the balance after a second successive draw following their earlier stalemate with Kyaka, while Mwenge South remain firmly in contention and know victory over Kyaka in their next outing would significantly strengthen their qualification prospects.
For the first time this tournament, the standout performers came from between the posts. Bunyangabu goalkeeper Odong Santos received the overall MTN Player of the Match award and a UGX 200,000 MTN MoMo cash prize, while Mwenge South goalkeeper Sekandi Andrew earned UGX 100,000 as the second nominated Player of the Match after both delivered outstanding performances to preserve clean sheets.
Mwenge South official Jackson Mugisha applauded MTN Uganda and the Tooro Kingdom for organising a competition that continues to attract large crowds.
“We are happy with MTN and Tooro Kingdom officials who have organised this high-level tournament that has attracted fans from across the entire kingdom. Even when we have secured a draw, we are sure we shall improve our performance in the next game. The home team was good, though we missed several opportunities,” he said.
Bunyangabu goalkeeper Santos Odong believes his side can still mount a serious title challenge.
“We have good players and we’ve been playing good games since the start of the tournament. We need the trophy this time round,” he said.
Adding to the occasion, MTN Brand Ambassador Prime Longino commended the people of Bunyangabu for their impressive turnout, describing their enthusiasm as further evidence of the growing popularity of the Tooro Kingdom MTN Masaza Tournament.
Both teams also expressed appreciation to MTN Uganda for sponsoring the competition and rewarding outstanding performers and fans throughout the matchday.
As the tournament gathers momentum, Fort Portal City’s dominant display has thrown down an early marker in both football and netball, while Sunday’s fiercely contested draw served as another reminder that every point could prove decisive in the race for the semi-finals. With qualification battles intensifying across the groups, the Tooro Kingdom MTN Masaza Tournament continues to deliver the competitive football, community spirit and unforgettable moments that have become its hallmark.
