NAIROBI, Kenya, August 31, 2026 – Kenya Police Bullets suffered an agonizing heartbreak at the death, falling 1-0 to Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim Ladies after extra time in a thrilling, high-stakes CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA Qualifiers final in Kigali on Monday night.
Agnes Nabukenya’s 100th-minute close finish proved to be the decisive blow, sending the Ugandan champions to the main CAF Women’s Champions League tournament and leaving Coach Vijago’s side just one step short of continental glory.
From the opening whistle, the final lived up to its billing as a tactical chess match.
Both sides tested each other’s defensive setups during a tense first 45 minutes, but clear-cut chances remained at a premium as they went into the halftime break deadlocked at 0-0.
The Bullets emerged for the second half with renewed urgency.
Margret Kunihira came agonizingly close to breaking the stalemate, but her curling effort dragged just wide of the post.
As the clock ticked down into the final 20 minutes, heavy fatigue began to set in for both squads following a grueling tournament run.
Despite frantic late attacks and five minutes of stoppage time, both goalkeepers stood tall to force the final into 30 minutes of extra time.
The defining moment of the match arrived ten minutes into extra time.
Nabukenya latched on to a loose ball in the box after Police failed to clear a cross, firing past the advancing Annedy Kundu in the law enforcers’ goal.
Visibly frustrated after putting in 100 minutes of relentless defensive work, the Kenyan champions threw everything forward in search of a miracle equalizer.
With Coach Rama Vijago pacing the touchline, the Bullets mounted a furious siege on the Ugandan penalty box during the second half of extra time.
Kunihira saw her set-piece delivery gathered safely by the opposition keeper, while a 115th-minute free kick and a series of late box scrambles were heroically repelled by a resolute Kawempe backline.
Four minutes of added time offered a final glimmer of hope, but the Ugandan side defended with every fiber to hold on until the final whistle, bringing a heroic Kenyan campaign to a bittersweet conclusion.
