Wananchi SC reign supreme at 2025 Easter Hockey Cup

Hockey Easter Cup

Results

Men

Wananchi 2 Weatherhead 0

Women

Tunza Sports U21 0 USIU 1

Uganda's hockey elite converged at Lugogo Hockey Stadium over the Easter weekend for the highly anticipated 2025 Easter Cup tournament.

The event culminated in a showcase of Wananchi SC's enduring dominance as they secured the men's title with a convincing 2-0 victory over Weatherhead Hockey Club.

The championship match highlighted Wananchi's clinical precision and mental fortitude, with Abdul Karim Wamala and Shafiq Byamukama both scoring to cement their team's status as Uganda's hockey powerhouse.

"We're focused on defending all our titles from last season," Byamukama declared after the match. "The Easter Cup is just the first step - we're hungry for more success this year."

Wananchi's path to glory included a hard-earned 2-1 semifinal victory against Kenya's United States International University (USIU), while Weatherhead booked their final spot with a 2-0 win over Kampala Hockey Club Stallions. However, Weatherhead's recurring struggles against their rivals resurfaced at the crucial moment, as they failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

"We still battle nerves when facing Wananchi," admitted Weatherhead's Maxwell Mugisa. "We're rebuilding our attacking patterns and team chemistry to overcome this mental block and mount a stronger title challenge." Mugisa emphasized their focus on improving build-up play and movement to enhance their offensive threat.

UHA vice-president Joshua Opolot smiles after awarding Wananchi's Emmanuel Baguma with the MVP medal

The women's tournament concluded with an all-Kenyan final that saw USIU claim a narrow 1-0 victory over Tunza Sports U21. Individual honors were awarded to Weatherhead's Brian Okodi (men's top scorer with 8 goals) and Swans' Lucky Akello (women's top scorer with 4 goals). USIU's Grace Akumu and Wananchi's Emmanuela Baguma received MVP recognition in their respective categories.

The tournament not only reinforced Wananchi's position as Uganda's premier hockey club but also set the stage for an intriguing season ahead as challengers look to close the gap on the dominant champions.