Uganda Juniors Lift Trophies

Team Leader Trevor Dudley says, "This has to be KKL’s greatest triumph.â€?

Sports

Uganda’s Kampala Kids League (KKL), young players from several parts of the East African country capped their remarkable run in Denmark’s junior soccer league by winning prestigious summer trophies.

The KKL snared the Tivoli cup, the Gothia cup and the FFD Premier Cup tournaments. This past Saturday, the KKL beat Thisted U-16 Academy team 3-0, in the Århus fifth edition. The bigger Danish first division academy team did their homework well on KKL and gave a strong performance in the first half, closing down KKL in midfield and shutting out KKL’s dangerous wingers.

But in the second period after Ibrahim “Saddam” Juma was upended in the box by Morten Nystrup, Saddam coolly converted the penalty 12 minutes after recess when he sent Thisted’s custodian Steffan Kirk the wrong way.

Two minutes later Mike Mutyaba, the “Golden Boot” winner, scored a cracking volley after a stunning 3-man evasion move that had the crowd, including several Danish scouts giving a standing innovation in appreciation.

In the 75th minute it was all over as “Saddam” tapped in from a Ssali Mose cross. On Monday the team flew back to Uganda with Brussels Airlines with suitcases filled with trophies and medals. Main sponsor Stanbic Bank is planning a big party for the team this week.

KKL have now have won 15 international trophies in six years.

Team Leader Trevor Dudley says, “This has to be KKL’s greatest triumph. This week I have watched the Ugandan boys play selected top academy teams one year older and much bigger than themselves. They were intimidated, kicked, chased, pressed and splattered to the ground time and time again. We spent whole evenings patching the team up ready to face the next onslaught. They have learnt what professional football is all about these days in Europe. I am so proud of them. They have now put Uganda football on the European academy shopping lists.”


Miwambo writes for The Black Star News’ from London. He filed this story from Denmark.

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