RoxBerry escape Upper Volta

• 2026 National Pool League | Sunday, September 13
• Upper Volta (2)10 – 10 (3) RoxBerry

The new season of the National Pool League 2026 cued off with high drama on Sunday, 13 September 2026, as 24 fixtures unfolded across four vibrant venues.

The marquee match-up of Matchday 1 took center stage at the Beluga Lounge in Kitintale, where hosts Upper Volta went toe to toe with the defending champions, RoxBerry, in a clash that delivered everything pool enthusiasts could hope for.

Set against the electric atmosphere of the Beluga Lounge at 6 PM, both camps rolled out formidable squads for the 20-frame showdown. Upper Volta fielded Peter Mayinja,  Joseph Rwotokonya, Yudah Ssembuusi, Mansoor Bwanika, Caesar Chandiga,  George Lukwago, and Siraje Lubega. 

RoxBerry countered with Joseph Kasozi, Ian Kazibwe, Ibra Ssejjemba, Simon Lubulwa, Arnold Ssemukwano, Robert Tumusiime, and Kennedy Mutebi. The tactical deployment mapped out a thrilling sequence across the 20 frames, pairing up key heavyweights such as Peter Mayinja against Joseph Kasozi and setting up a grand finale clash between Caesar Chandiga and Ibrahim Ssejjemba in Frame 20.

Right from the opening break, the contest lived up to its billing. RoxBerry’s Joseph Kasozi, affectionately known as the Sharp Shooter, opened the game against Peter Mayinja of Upper Volta. Mayinja pulled off a stunning upset, edging the seed-one player in Frame 1. Ian Kazibwe quickly levelled matters for RoxBerry in the second frame by defeating Joseph Rwotokonya. 

Drama struck in Frame 3 when Ibra Ssejjemba started strong but unluckily potted the cue ball. The two shots handed to Upper Volta’s Yudah Ssembusi, commonly known as Ddemba Ba, shifted the momentum entirely, allowing Ssembusi to edge the frame.

Upper Volta capitalized on the surge. In Frame 4, left-hander Mansoor Bwanika executed a flawless break and finish, leaving RoxBerry’s Simon Lubulwa stranded without a shot to push the score to 3-1. Caesar Chandiga then took Arnold Ssemukwano to the cleaners in Frame 5, restricting him to the cue ball only once to make it 4-1, before Kazibwe clawed one back for RoxBerry to make it 4-2.

Upper Volta continued pressing, extending their dominant lead to 7-3 by Frame 10. Following a tactical timeout, however, the defending champions roared back into control. RoxBerry mounted a sensational comeback, stringing together five consecutive victories; Ssejjemba defeated Mayinja to make it 4, Lubulwa edged Rwotokonya to make it 5, Ssemukwano claimed frame 6, and Kasozi overpowered Bwanika to make it 7-all.

Kazibwe then edged Chandiga to give Roxberry an 8-7 edge. RoxBerry pushed further to 9 after Lubulwa beat Mayinja and made it 10-7 on Frame 16. Refusing to back down, Upper Volta fought back valiantly, levelling the match at 10-10 thanks to brilliant displays from Ssembusi, Bwanika, and Chandiga.

With scores tied at 10-10, the new league rulebook came into play: a penalty shootout to determine the winner of a bonus point, where the winner takes a bonus point to add to the one for the draw. Following a tense three-minute timeout, both sides selected their best takers to take their penalties.

Peter Mayinja went first for Upper Volta and missed. After Rwotokonya came to level matters for Upper Volta, after Joseph Kasozi, the Sharp Shooter, had potted for RoxBerry. Ian Kazibwe too potted his for RoxBerry to again take the edge. Then Yudah Ssembusi missed the penalty for Upper Volta, and Ibra Ssejjemba came to make it three at 3-1, before Mansoor Bwanika came to make it 3-2. 

From there on, the rest respectively missed their penalties; Simon Lubulwa for RoxBerry and Caesar Chandiga for Upper Volta, who had a chance to keep it going. Finishing the game with the defending champions on top after winning penalties 3-2.

Across the other Match Day 1 venues, action was equally fierce. At Adi’s Spot in Kireka, Capital Night dominated 11-0 against Nakawa, Corporate Shooters fell 4-16 to Adi’s, Capital Night tied 10-10 with Corporate Shooters, Nakawa lost 5-15 to Adi’s, Corporate Shooters drew 10-10 with Nakawa and Adi’s fell 7-13 to Capital Night. 

At Itaano Arena in Mukono, Pot It tied 10-10 with Greater Mukono, Sinkers routed E-Play 14-6, Pot It lost 5-15 to Sinkers, Greater Mukono thrashed E-Play 15-5, Pot It edged E-Play 11-9, and Greater Mukono beat Sinkers 11-9. 

At New Base Hotel in Nansana, Tororo Tigers fell 9-11 to Club 408, Scrap Buyers beat Wakiso City 13-7, Tororo Tigers lost 8-12 to Scrap Buyers, Club 408 defeated Wakiso City 13-7, Tororo Tigers edged Wakiso City 11-9, and Club 408 lost 9-11 to Scrap Buyers. 

Meanwhile, back at Beluga Lounge in Kitintale, earlier results saw Kireka lose 9-11 to Upper Volta, RoxBerry crush Mbale 17-3, RoxBerry rout Kireka 16-4, Upper Volta wallop Mbale 15-5, and Kireka draw 10-10 with Mbale, culminating in the thrilling Upper Volta (2) 10-10 (3) RoxBerry showdown.

Following the opening round of matches, Scrap Buyers sit at the summit of the National Pool League 2026 standings with 3 matches played, 3 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses, 37 goals for, 23 goals against, a goal difference of 14, 0 bonus points, and 9 total points.

RoxBerry sits closely behind in second place with 3 matches played, 2 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses, 43 goals for, 17 goals against, a goal difference of 26, 1 bonus point, and 8 total points. 

Greater Mukono is in third with 8 total points, Capital Night is fourth with 7 points, and Upper Volta rounds out the top five with 7 points, followed by Adi’s, Sinkers, Club 408, Pot It, Tororo Tigers, Corporate Shooters, Nakawa, Mbale, Kireka, Wakiso City, and E-Play down the table.

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