Defending champions Kampala Region lost 1-0 to determined Western region to miss out in this year’s FUFA-MTN Inter Region finals to be played this Saturday in Arua.
Kampala who were targeting a third consecutive title after emerging champions in 2010 (Tororo) and 2011 (Kabaale), lost the battle in the second half of the extra time. Western Region will now be looking to winning their first cup since the inauguration of this tournament in 2009. Buganda region were the pioneer champions. This is the second time Kampala is missing out in the finals in four years.
In the second semi finals, hosts West Nile were also dumped by Eastern Region after a 1-0 result in a match played to big crowd of spectators. West Nile would have pushed the game into an extra time if Madilu Ezra had converted a penalty awarded to them in the last minutes of the second half. The youthful player however shot over the bar to deny the home team an important equalizer. No home team in the history of this tournament has ever lifted this title. West Nile therefore joins Northern, Eastern and Western in hosting and missing out in the finals.
Kampala will play West Nile in the classification game at 10am on Saturday before Western battles Eastern in the finals. The winner takes UGX 4.000.000, the first runners-up UGX 2.500.000, the third best team takes home UGX 1.500.000 while the fourth team pockets UGX 1.000.000. The prize money is part of the UGX 70.000.000 sponsorship package by MTN.
