KHC Swans, fresh from their international exposure at the recently concluded Africa Club Championships tournament in Egypt, faced off against Wananchi Queens in the highly anticipated UHA Memorial Shield.

The UHA Memorial Shield, established to honor the fallen in the hockey fraternity, pits the winners of the Uganda Cup against the league champions to determine the ultimate shield winners.

In cases where one team wins both titles, the first runner-up in the league steps in for the tie.  KHC Swans were the 2024 Uganda Cup winners, while Wananchi were the 2024 league champions.

Wananchi Queens came in with high determination, scoring two early goals—one by Doreen Asiimwe in the 11th minute from a penalty corner and another by Doreen Mbabazi in the 14th minute.

KHC Swans’ substitute Ninsima Pauline responded with a tap-in goal in the 18th minute, bringing the Swans back into the game. Lucky Akello added another goal in the 36th minute to equalize the score.

Despite an intense end-to-end battle, the game ended in a draw,  leading to an 8-second shootout.

Notably, KHC Swans’ top talents, sisters Lucky Akello and Winnie Alaro, missed their shots while Wananchi’s Teopista Anyango was the only one to falter on her team, and Wananchi Queens ultimately triumphed with a 4-3 victory in the shootout.

In the men’s category, KHC Stallions, runners-up in the 2024 National League and fresh from winning their pre-season tournament (the Lugogo Cup), were eager to clinch victory and the shield for the first time.

The defending champions, Wananchi Kings, winners of both the Uganda Cup and National League, came in strong. The Stallions, missing their best player Jordan Mpiima, conceded two early goals from penalty corner strikes from Jackson Musinguzi and Innocent Tumukunde. However, they bounced back with a goal at the start of the second half through Aaron Mutenyo.

Amidst their relentless efforts, the Stallions finally got a chance at the last moment from a penalty corner with 7 seconds to play.

Alfred Agaba brilliantly dribbled past the first dasher (Okello Elias) and flicked the ball into the net, sending the KHC fanbase into a frenzy. The game was decided by an 8-second shootout, and the Kampala Stallions emerged victorious with a nail-biting 9-8 win.

The National Hockey League resumes on 1st March 2025, promising even more thrilling encounters.