Saturday Results – Matchday One
- UCU Angels 54-35 Dynamite Netball Academy
- NIC Netball Club 39-40 KCCA Netball Club
- UPDF 46-43 UGISA Netball Club
- Busia Greater Lions 44-42 UGX-LUWEERO
After nearly two years in the shadows, the Uganda Netball Women’s Super League made an exciting return under the dull skies after a fine rain drizzle on Saturday at the newly refurbished Nakivubo Stadium and wasted no time in serving up drama, passion and upsets.
Among the four fixtures played, none captivated fans more than the epic showdown between netball powerhouses KCCA Netball Club and the record champions, NIC.
In a fiercely contested clash that went down to the wire, KCCA edged NIC 40-39, claiming a dramatic one-goal victory that set the tone for what promises to be a gripping season.
Fred Mugerwa’s KCCA side came out firing. Spearheaded by the returning Shadia Nassanga, fresh from her stint in the Malaysian League, KCCA showed attacking intent right from the first whistle.
They took the opening quarter 11-10 with Nassanga’s sharp shooting and Brendah Nakazibwe’s commanding presence at the centre driving their rhythm and control.
Their momentum carried into the second quarter, where KCCA stretched the lead to four at one point. However, errors from their shooting pair gave NIC a lifeline. By halftime, KCCA narrowly led 19-18, but signs of a resurgence from NIC were already showing.
NIC roared into the third quarter with renewed energy, outscoring KCCA 12-8 and taking their first lead of the match at 30-27. With Rachael Nanyonga leading the attack, NIC seemed to be closing in on a comeback win.
But the final quarter brought a stunning twist. Despite starting the last 15 minutes with a four-goal cushion and centre pass, NIC couldn’t break away. KCCA’s defensive trio, Shaffie Nalwanja, Kitimbo Flavia and Christine Nakitto stood tall, producing two crucial steals that turned the momentum back in KCCA’s favor.
And when the final moment came, it was Shadia Nassanga again, calm, precise and composed, who sank the winning shot to seal a memorable victory for the Kasasiro Girls.
The result echoed a similar outcome from the 2022/23 season when KCCA also won the first leg against NIC, a campaign in which NIC ultimately failed to lift the trophy.
Speaking after the game, coach Fred Mugerwa praised his team’s composure and spirit. KCCA will now look to carry their momentum into match day two when they face Busia Greater Lions while NIC will be eager to bounce back though their next challenge is no easy task: an away tie against defending champions, Prisons Netball Club.
Elsewhere on Match Day One, UCU Angels dominated newcomers Dynamite Netball Academy 54-35 to top the table, thanks to a strong performance and numerical advantage.
For UPDF, they edged UGISA Netball Club 46-43 while Busia Greater Lions too narrowly beat UGX-LUWEERO 44-42.
