St. Lawrence University’s quest for a first-ever Pepsi University Football League (UFL) title ended in heartbreak once again after they suffered a 3-0 defeat to a ruthless Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) side in the 2024/25 final at the Muteesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku on Sunday afternoon.
Having lost their two previous finals in 2019 and 2022, SLAU came into this season’s showpiece desperate to finally break the curse.
But instead, Davis Nnono’s troops found themselves on the wrong end of another painful reality check, undone by a clinical UMU performance that left no room for error.
UMU took control of the match midway through the first half. Calvin Peter Emayu opened the floodgates in the 36th minute.
Just six minutes later, Crispus Sseruwunge doubled the advantage.
With a 2-0 cushion heading into the break, Uganda Martyrs smelled blood — and they didn’t take long to deliver the killer blow.
Barely ten minutes into the second half, Obedi Giu Ronald scored the third and final nail in SLAU’s coffin.
The 3-0 scoreline not only secured UMU their third UFL crown but also confirmed them as the outright kings of the competition’s history, surpassing Makerere University Business School (MUBS) and Kampala University, who both remain stuck on two titles each.
For SLAU, it was a familiar feeling of despair. Their third appearance in a UFL final — and yet again, the big day proved a bridge too far.
First, it was UCU who denied them in 2019, then UMU again in 2022, and now history has repeated itself.
Meanwhile, in the earlier third-place playoff, Bugema University edged Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) 1-0 to secure the bronze medal, ending their campaign on a positive note.
Key Stats from the Final:
- Champions: Uganda Martyrs University (Third title: 2017, 2022, 2025)
- Runner-up: St. Lawrence University
- Third place: Bugema University
Uganda Martyrs’ clinical edge, superior game management, and experience on the big stage proved too much for a St. Lawrence side that must now go back to the drawing board if they are to ever lift the elusive crown.
As the celebrations raged on the pitch for UMU, the pain for SLAU was unmistakable — a reminder that finals are about moments, and Uganda Martyrs made theirs count.
