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Pirates, Heathens scrap for season’s last piece of silverware
Either Heathens (yellow) or Stanbic Black Pirates (black) will Saturday, leave Entebbe as Rwenzori Uganda Cup Champions. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
The Pirates class of 2018 has a number of surviving members but Ivan Magomu, the 2018 winning captain, remains in charge and to him, Saturday’s final gives this specific group a chance to ink their names in the club’s history.
Heathens and Stanbic Black Pirates face off this Saturday in the Rwenzori Uganda Cup final at the Entebbe Namate Grounds with both desperate to end up on top for different reasons.
While Heathens have recorded success in the league with three titles since 2016, they have not won the Uganda Cup in six years despite being record winners with 11 titles. For Pirates, a club barely 25 years old, their trophy cabinet has not welcomed a lot.
A league title, two Uganda Cups, a National Sevens Championship and Makerere 10s title makes it five trophies since inauguration with the last coming in 2018.
The Uganda Cup will always be a special trophy for the Pirates following, it was the first piece of silverware the club ever won in 2007.
The Pirates class of 2018 has a number of surviving members but Ivan Magomu, the 2018 winning captain, remains in charge and to him, Saturday’s final gives this specific group a chance to ink their names in the club’s history.
“Winning something is always part of the club’s objectives at the beginning of the season. We have come all the way to the final to do whatever it takes to win it and we believe in ourselves to go out there and return home as champions,” he told Score.
Heathens on the other hand will feel lucky to be here after making the final through a coin toss after a 110 minute stalemate against Kobs in last week’s semi final.
They were second best for most of the encounter, something captain Akera Komaketch said they would fix during the course of the week. The last time Heathens made the final in 2019, they had to deal with a heartbreak.
After leading for the entire game, Ivan Kirabo stepped up for Kobs with the last kick of the game to hand the Blue Army the bragging rights.
Memories of that final and the hunger to win a trophy they last won in 2016 can be used by Mohammed Athiyo’s men to complete the double.
Rwenzori Uganda Cup
Men’s final
Heathens vs. Pirates 4pm
Women’s final
Avengers vs. Thunderbirds 2pm
Shield Cup final
Warriors vs. Impis 12pm
Past winners
1999: Heathens
2000: Heathens
2001: Heathens
2002: Heathens
2003: Heathens
2004: Heathens
2005: Kobs
2006:Kobs
2007: Pirates
2008: Kobs
2009: Heathens
2010: Kobs
2011: Kobs
2012: Kobs
2013: Heathens
2014: Heathens
2015: Heathens
2016: Heathens
2017: Kobs
2018: Pirates
2019: Kobs
2020: Not held
2021: Not held
2022: ?????
