A brace from Aaron Junior Musiime guided Elite to their maiden SMACK League Main Cup title after a 2-1 victory over Gladiators in the Season Eight final played on Sunday at Kampala Rugby Club.
The Guinness powered finale lived up to its billing as Elite, the 2008 cohort, justified their status as pre-match favourites.
Elite broke the deadlock in the first half through Musiime, who reacted quickest to a loose ball following a long throw that caused panic in the Gladiators penalty area.
He struck a sweet half-volley past goalkeeper Ngati Solomon to give his side the lead. Gladiators fought back before the break, drawing level after capitalising on another goalmouth scramble to leave the two teams tied at halftime.
With the contest finely poised, Musiime delivered the decisive moment late in the game. The forward punished a defensive lapse by Gladiators, calmly slotting home his second goal to secure the championship and spark wild celebrations among the Elite faithful.
“It’s an incredible feeling. I am happy to have scored the winning goals, but this title belongs to the entire team. Everyone worked hard throughout the season and today we were rewarded for that effort,” Musiime said after the match.
In the third-place playoff, Knights defeated Phantoms 3-2 in a penalty shootout after the sides had settled for a 1-1 draw in normal time. The Founders Cup was claimed by Mafiaz, with Lucas Mwanda scoring a late winner to edge Vikings.
Off the pitch, Guinness elevated the matchday experience with discounted offers on a range of its products, adding to the festive atmosphere.
“Congratulations to the SMACK League on successfully completing Season 8. Guinness is proud to partner with this league, which has become a key pillar of the Guinness Old Boys Leagues. Guinness remains committed to supporting football related experiences in Uganda.
We look forward to strengthening our partnerships and continuing to invest in platforms that grow the game while delivering unforgettable experiences for players and fans alike,” she said.
Nazzinda added that Guinness will continue to support other Old Boys competitions, including the Chaapa League, MwiriLeague, Ngo League, Butiki League and Shack League, among others.
The finale attracted representatives from the various Old Boys leagues, whose presence showed the unity and growing collaboration among the different competitions.
SMACK League CEO, Patrick Wetaka described Season 8 as one of the league’s most successful campaigns, crediting partners such as Guinness for helping raise the tournament’s profile.
“We started the season at the IUEA Grounds in Kansangabefore moving to Kampala Rugby Club for the final stretch. We hope this will become our home for the next campaign,” he added.
Fans were also treated to a lively entertainment programme, with DJs Bugy, Beast and LB keeping the energy high throughout the day before Heroes Band thrilled the crowd with a live performance.
Award winning singer Winnie Nwagi brought the curtain down on the celebrations with an electrifying performance featuring some of her biggest hits.
The Season 8 finale also incorporated a community health initiative through a partnership with Case Clinic, which provided a free medical camp.
The SMACK League is set to return later this year for the Season 9.