Uganda suffered their first setback at the ongoing All Africa Ultimate Pool Championship in Mpumalanga, South Africa, falling 15-10 to the hosts on Tuesday.
The defeat came against a composed and seasoned South African side whose veteran players dictated the pace from the opening racks to the end. The result pushed Uganda to third place on the 14-team men’s standings after the morning session.
Team captain Rashid Wagaba admitted that South Africa’s experience was a key determinant.
‘We lost to a more experienced team. They controlled the table well and punished every mistake we made,’ Wagaba said.
Despite the setback, Wagaba remained optimistic about Uganda’s campaign, emphasising that qualification for the knockout stages remains within reach.
‘We still have a strong chance. We just need to win our remaining games to secure a place in the quarterfinals. Our team has depth and character-we can bounce back and challenge for the title once we reach the knockouts,’ he added.
Uganda was scheduled to play four more matches later in the day before Wednesday’s conclusion of the group phase, with the top eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals.
Mixed results
Meanwhile, in the women’s category, Uganda’s Team B endured mixed fortunes. They narrowly lost 13-12 to Kenya B in their opening match before producing a dominant 19-6 victory over Namibia in the morning session. The result kept the Ugandan ladies within the top seven, maintaining their hopes of a quarterfinal berth.
Action continues through to Saturday, when the top teams and individual players will be crowned. The continental event has drawn participants from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Namibia.
Ultimate Pool Championship
Results
Men
Namibia B 1-24 Uganda
South Africa C 15-10 Uganda
Women
Kenya B 13-12 Uganda
Namibia 9-16 Uganda