By Peter Kyobe
Upper Volta kept their Nile Special National Pool League title hopes alive with a hard-fought 11-9 win over Greater Mukono in a televised encounter at Club Itaano on Sunday evening.
Coming into the match trailing league leaders Rox Berry by three points, Upper Volta needed a win to remain within striking distance with only three matches left.
With Rox Berry hosting and eventually defeating Pot It 14-6, the pressure was firmly on Upper Volta to deliver, and they did just enough to take all three points.
The game, broadcast live on NBS Sport TV, started unexpectedly with the home side Greater Mukono stunning the visitors by racing to a 4-0 lead. Lesser-known players Allan Kayiwa, Ronald Akampulira, Najib Matovu, and Ivan Kafuleka energized the crowd with early wins that put Upper Volta on the back foot.
But the visitors, stacked with Uganda national team stars Kenneth Odong, Caesar Chandiga, Rashid Wagaba, Mansoor Bwanika, and Zambian international Moses Mofya, quickly turned the tide. Upper Volta responded with six straight frames, including two from team captain Odong, to take a 6-4 lead into the break.
The momentum carried into the second half, with Mofya immediately extending the lead. Matovu momentarily pulled one back for Greater Mukono, but despite underwhelming performances from Bwanika and Chandiga, Upper Volta kept the advantage. Bwanika was later substituted for youngster Yudah Ssembuusi, who delivered a break-and-finish to stretch the lead further.
Rashid Wagaba’s break-and-finish in the 19th frame sealed the win with a frame to spare. Although Ssekilime grabbed a consolation by beating Chandiga in the final frame, the match ended 11-9 in Upper Volta’s favor.
However, their celebrations were dampened by news of Rox Berry’s emphatic win, which means the table leaders now need just one win from their remaining three matches to clinch the league title.
The league is expected to pause for a week as 35 players from various clubs travel to Eldoret, Kenya, to compete in the Timba XO International Pool Carnival, which features a prize pool of $25,000.
