Bright Stars, Onduparaka join Vipers atop UPL table
Man mountain. Onduparaka’s Rashid Toha (left) shutting out Villa’s Bashir Mutanda. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
- Soccer. SC Villa fell to Onduparaka at Namboole Stadium but the real drama was at Wankulukuku, where Bright Stars left it very late
Kampala. Dream start, dramatic goals, and great comebacks!
Those are the storylines from the league as Onduparaka and Bright Stars dramatically make it two wins in as many matches with victories over SC Villa and Nyamityobora last evening.
Onduparaka’s early 1-0 lead was having them comfortably at the top of the StarTimes Uganda Premier League (SUPL) table but a defiant late onslaught from Bright Stars saw the Mwererwe side come from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Nyamityobora.
Patrick Gonahasa and Ibrahim Dada scored for Nyamityobora inside 45 minutes at Wankulukuku but a second half charge saw Nelson Senkatuka, Alfred Onek and Brian Kayanja underline Bright Stars defiance.
Bright Stars captain Senkatuka underscored the importance of their win.
“We really needed to win the opening two games because we have two tough games coming up against Villa and KCCA,” he said.
Rashid Toha’s first minute goal for Onduparaka at Namboole is the quickest in the league this season.
“To get the goal is important for me but we knew it was going to be difficult against Villa,” said Toha, “So this is big.”
His coach Asaph Mwebaze said they can still improve. “We held up well but we didn’t defend as well as I would have liked but I like the way we fell behind the ball and used it going forward.”
Villa captain Ambrose Kirya is confident they will bounce back. “We deserved something from the game because we didn’t play poorly,” he said, “We shall come back better.” The victories have both Onduparaka and Bright Stars on six points and plus-three goal difference, but the latter have scored more goals - six in two matches - as compared to the West Nilers’ three.
Coming off a 2-0 home victory over Nyamityobora last Friday, Onduparaka started like a Hennessey Venom F5.
Referee Ali Sabilla blew the whistle and Mwebaze’a men immediately charged at SC Villa, Savio Kabugo illegally impeding the attack to give away a free kick just outside the penalty box.
Step forward the tallest man on the pitch - Toha - and the number 12 lifted the ball over the wall and beyond Brian Bwete for the opener.
Both teams had chances to improve the scoreline, with Viane Sekajugo bothering Villa for good spells and Joseph Semujju and Villa skipper Kirya probing in vain.
