St. Lawrence University will be searching for its first Pepsi University Football League title in this year’s final against one-time champions Uganda Martyrs University at the MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo on Saturday.
The closest the Kavule-based outfit came to winning it was in 2019 but lost 2-1 to Uganda Christian University.
Assistant coach Fred Bakisura has vowed that his charges are eager and hungry to win their maiden UFL title.
“It was unfortunate that we lost the final in 2019 but it is pleasing that we have returned to the final for the second straight season,” Bakisura said ahead of the game.
“We have worked hard to reach this level again and winning it is our ultimate target and everyone associated with the team is well aware of that.”
“Uganda Martyrs is going to be a tough team to play against but we played against them in the semifinals of the last edition and we ejected them and we are focused on doing it again,” he added.
On the other hand, Uganda Martyrs’ head coach Eric Kisuze noted that their journey to the final has not been a smooth ride but they will be hoping to cap it off with the trophy.
“We have played against tough opponents straight from the group stages and we have managed to manoeuvre through,” Kisuze stated.
“This gives us too much confidence to approach the final with strength and a winning mentality.”
“Our opponents are one of the strongest teams in the competition and having played in the final of the last edition and lost to UCU, they will come all out to try and win it.”
“However, we also have our motive and we should carry ourselves positively and as per the preparations we are ready for the game on Saturday,” he added.
St. Lawrence eliminated two-time champions Makerere University Business School 5-1 after two legs in the semifinals.
Having won the first leg 2-1 in Kavule, they went ahead and won 3-0 in Nakawa in the second leg.
Meanwhile, Uganda Martyrs ejected defending champions UCU 5-4 in the penalty shootouts after a 1-1 draw on aggregate. Each team won 1-0 in their territory.
Uganda Martyrs and St. Lawrence will be meeting for the third time in the history of the competition.
They met in the 2019 semifinals and drew two-all on aggregate following a one-all draw in the first and second legs.
Before St. Lawrence won the contest 5-3 in the post-match penalties to advance to the final.
As St. Lawrence plays in the final for the second straight time, Uganda Martyrs return after an absence of four years when they defeated MUBS 2-0 in 2017 to win their first and only UFL title to date.
The third and fourth-place playoff between the losing semifinalists UCU and MUBS will act as the curtain-raiser before the final on Saturday.
