Sinan RAJUB SENOGA
Youthful goalkeeper Abraham Opio was arguably the best player of the round of the 64 of the Stanbic Uganda Cup.
Opio saved five penalties as 4th tier club Elite FC shockingly eliminated Uganda Premier League side Arua Hill 2-1 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in normal time in a game played at the Lira Integrated school playground on Sunday.
Opio saved Gaddafi Wahab’s penalty during the first half of the game and went on to save four penalties in the post match shoot-out.
During the game, Elite FC took an early lead through Aldo Awuta in the 11th minute but Innocent Media levelled the scores in 29th minute.
Arua Hill were awarded a penalty in 40th minute and Wahab stepped up to convert but Opio denied him to maintain the scoreline at 1-1.
Goalkeeper ABRAHAM OPIO saved 5 penalties as 4th tier club Elite FC eliminated @UPL side Arua Hill from the Stanbic Uganda Cup in Lira yesterday.
Opio saved Wahab's penalty in the 1st half & went on to save four kicks during the post match shoot-out. Dennis Onyango stuff!! pic.twitter.com/OaW2FzZ8jT
— SINAN 🇺🇬 (@SinanRajub) February 6, 2023
The game headed to a tense and unpredictable penalty shoot out and Opio saved four of the five Arua Hill spot kicks.
Isaac Ogwang, Richard Matovu, Reagan Mpande and Wahab all had their kicks saved by budding shot stopper. Innocent Media was the only player to score for the Kongolos.
Elite FC scored theirs through Okao Simon and Odur Marcos while Okodi Sostin, Okuk Fazil and Benjamin Okullu missed theirs.
Elite FC competes in the fourth division in the Northern Region and became the second team to eliminate Arua Hill at the round of 64 after Tipsha FC who did the same during last year’s edition.
It should be noted, Opio played for KCCA FC during the Cambiasso and Rainbow tournament held in Tanzania last year and he emerged as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
Arua Hill, Maroons FC, URA FC and Gaddafi FC are the Uganda Premier League sides that have been so far ejected from the Uganda Cup while Busoga United failed to travel to Kitgum to face JLOS FC.
Qualified Teams for Round of 32
UPL: KCCA FC, Vipers SC, BUL FC, SC Villa, Express FC UPDF FC, Soltilo Bright Stars, Onduparaka FC, Wakiso Giants, Blacks Power
Big League: Calvary FC, Mbarara City, Adjumani Town Council, Lugazi FC, Kitara FC, Ndejje University, Jinja North, Police FC.
Others: Uganda Pentecostal University, Elite FC, Paidha Black Angels, Bunyaruguru United, Mbale Heroes, Kigezi HomeBoys, Kisugu United, Kiyinda Boys, Gorilla Highlands, Pajule Lions, Junior Eagles, Blue Stars FC, Admin FC.