Charlie’s Shooters “17 were crowned winners of Macos League Season III on Sunday evening at City High School Kololo with a 2-0 victory over last year’s champions Invincibles “13.

The Shooters won the 2023 edition of the MACOS alumni league through goals by Andrew Musoke and the returning Josiah Ssempeke either side of half time,before playing out a dead rubber goaless draw with rivals Jaguars “18 to wrap up the season.

Golden Boot winner Musoke scored his 12th goal of the season with a wonderful half volley to open the scoring in the first half,before Ssempeke,who has only appeared sporadically for the Shooters this season because of work commitments,but has delivered every time he has been available,sealed the win with a fierce trademark left footed strike with midway through the second period.

The new kings,who had their strongest possible team for the first time all season,dominated the outgoing champions who had a tough season,denying them space and time and constantly dragging them out of position with clever movement and incisive passing.

They could have won by more but for wastefulness in front of goal, but they couldn’t have cared less about that as the final whistle,coupled with results from elsewhere,confirmed their league title.

The Shooters topped the table from the very first game of the season,but had stumbled on the previous two matchdays to give their two closest rivals Boyoz “16 and the Jaguars a real chance to steal the title heading into the decisive matchweek.They came into the game knowing they had to win both of their games,the second of which was the ultimately barren fixture with league debutants Jaguars.

Only one victory ended up being enough as first Boyoz,who came into the matchweek only three points behind the leaders,were held 1-1 by Champions League chasing Magic 7 “05, and then the Jaguars,who had somehow found themselves back in the title race and were hoping to make their final match a climactic affair,were beaten 3-1 by Season I Champions Cityzens.These results gave the Shooters an unassailable five point lead with one match left.

It was a fairytale ending for the Shooters,who finished just a point behind their vanquished opponents last season.They have now gone one step further by lifting their first title on their second appearance in the league.The first pages of the history of this competition are only just being written,with this being only the third edition.

But the Shooters,with this title win providing ample solace for the disappointment of narrowly missing out in 2022,have already established their place among the leading lights of the league’s early days,alongside Invincibles, Cityzens and the unlucky Boyoz, who once again fell short,having also challenged in 2020. If Jaguars can maintain their performance next season we could have as many has four teams all chasing the title in this young and burgeoning league.

The win means the Shooters return to the Schools Alumni Champions League for a second year in a row,alongside Boyoz,Jaguars and surprise package Magic 7.

They will be hoping to improve on their group stage exit debut by picking up more than the solitary win they managed last season.But for now it is rest and rejoicing for the newly crowned kings.