Eagles expose Vipers
Express’ Derrick Tekkwo vies for posession with Vipers’ Deus Bukenya at Nakivubo on Friday. Tekkwo scored the solitary goal as Express floored heavyweights Vipers. Photo BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
- Soccer. Express exposed the cracks in Vipers’ armoury on Friday beating them 1-0 to pile pressure on coach Abdalah Mubiru.
KAMPALA. If Vipers owner Lawrence Mulindwa is to wield the axe on under fire head coach Abdallah Mubiru, he won’t need reports this time – he has keenly watched all five club league games this season.
Defeat for Vipers against a depleted, yet classic Express at Nakivubo on Friday, saw Mulindwa grit his teeth in anger in the VIP section after the match as Mubiru and his entire bench avoided the media to race to the changing rooms.
The 1-0 loss meant that Mubiru, who replaced George ‘Best’ Nsimbe in July, has won only twice, drawn thrice and lost once in six league games - falling to abysmal fifth before yesterday’s matches.
The shock defeat and the trio of negative results will have set alarm bells ringing at the Kitende training base especially as the leading cast of Villa, KCCA and Express continue to wheel away from Vipers’ sight.
Express missed three key members; Mike Mutyaba, John Ssemazzi and Allan Kyambadde, all on loan from Vipers, but still managed to dominate possession, had the most shots on target and made the two-time league champions look deplorable and out of sorts.
Magical Juma
The sole goal on 37 minutes – a simple tap in after man-of-the match Saddam Juma had floored the entire Vipers’ defense - came from an unlikely source, defensive midfielder Derrick Tekkwo, who was later replaced by Rogers Lukwiya to avoid a second book-able offence. The new found chemistry between Express coaches Alex Gitta and Wasswa Bbosa was paramount for the triumph, for they were spot on with all the calls and substitutions made.
“The rebuking we gave our players after the 1-0 loss to Bul on Tuesday made them pull up their socks against Vipers. This is the kind of victory we needed ahead of our trip to KCCA next week,” said Gitta.
It’s only six games into the Uganda Premier League season but Vipers are already three points behind the leading pack (before yesterday’s games) – with the most blame falling on a blunt attacking force of Erisa Ssekisambu, Musa Esenu, Brian Kakaire, Tonny Odur and Duncan Sseninde that has scored a paltry eight goals in six matches.
To Mubiru’s discomfort, his deputy Nsimbe, who never got off the bench the entire 90 minutes against the Red Eagles, is a three-time league winner – one that Mulindwa can easily turn to if matters continue to go out of hand.
Friday result
Vipers 0-1 Express
Playing Tuesday
KCCA vs Express, 4pm
at Lugogo
