The occasion was different but the scoreline was the same as South Sudan beat Uganda 3-0 in the 2025 IBSA Blind Football Africa Division II final at Hamz Stadium on Wednesday.
It was the same scoreline by which Sudan beat the hosts in the opening match on Monday.
Even the scorers were the same. Only that Yona Sabri, who bagged a brace on Monday, this time scored one, while captain Martin Lado, who scored once on Monday, was the man of the match, scoring two goals.
All the goals on Monday came in the first half. In the final, all happened in the second half. The first was a penalty after goalkeeper Moses Musasizi handled the ball outside his box. Lado coolly converted it to give the guests a timely 1-0 lead.
It wasn’t long before Sabri added the second, squeezing the ball between the goalie’s legs. Lado iced the cake with a sublime strike into the roof of the net as Uganda struggled with injuries.
Captain Rashid Ssemakula, who scored brilliantly against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, had a difficult time against the Sudanese before being substituted with a cut above his right eye after a head collision.
Coach Ali Zinda made several changes but no avail.
“The fact that we have lost to the same team twice shows that they are better than us,” Zinda said post-match. “But we are happy for hosting this event and qualifying the Division I, which is a step closer to the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.”
Simon Madol Akol, the South Sudan coach, attributed his team’s success to cohesion and determination. He also predicted the future of blind football to be bright.
“I started playing football to prove that even the blind can do something. Now this victory is more testament to that a’d will inspire many more in South Sudan,” said Lado, who was the tournament’s MVP.
Sabri was the top scorer with six goals. Charles Bepo, kept three clean sheets for South Sudan, and emerged the best goalkeeper.
FINAL
Uganda 0-3 South Sudan
Scorers: Martin Lado (2), Yona Sabri (1)