Akena Shines as St Joseph’s College Layibi Thrash Horizon FC 9-1 in USSSA

Gulu,Uganda -St Joseph’s College Layibi delivered a dominant performance to secure a 9-1 victory over Horizon SS in their USSSA, Inter-schools male football competition Group B clash, booking a place in the quarterfinals.

The match was headlined by a brilliant display from 16-year-old Samuel Akena, who scored five goals and earned Player of the Match honors. Akena opened the scoring in the 15th minute, added a second in the 34th, completed his hat-trick in the 59th minute, and went on to score twice more in the 61st and 67th minutes.

Horizon SS briefly equalized in the 21st minute, but Layibi quickly regained control. Opiyo Emmanuel restored the lead in the 30th minute, setting the pace for the rest of the game.

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Strategic substitutions in the second half further strengthened Layibi’s dominance. Omara Brian, introduced in the 46th minute for the injured Opio Esau, made an immediate impact by scoring in the 49th minute. Shortly after, Omara Anderson replaced Odong Isaac Nalla in the 51st minute and scored with his first touch to extend the lead to 5–1. Owacgiu Eriksen added another goal in the 70th minute to seal an emphatic victory.

Speaking after the match, Akena expressed confidence in finishing as the competition’s top scorer, reflecting the team’s ambition and winning mindset.

Head Coach Francis Ochora also emphasized the team’s readiness to go all the way in the tournament.

Fans and supporters have praised the team’s consistency, discipline, and potential to compete at the national level.

St Joseph’s College Layibi now turns its attention to the quarterfinals scheduled for Monday, 23rd, as they await the official draw to determine their next opponent.

As a recognized Center of Excellence, the school, in partnership with Kumalo Sports, continues to invest in nurturing young talent through a balanced focus on sports and education by building not just athletes, but future leaders.