More twists and turns as Villa return to peak

Sunday, March 04, 2018 — updated on February 07, 2021

Aerial battle. Vipers custodian James Alitho (R) strives to swart a goal-mouth attempt by Maroons’ Slyvester Okello and Patrick Gonahasa (2nd R) with defender Bashir Asiku (L) closing in during the 1-1 stalemate in Luzira on Friday. PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA

KAMPALA.

With all the top Azam Uganda Premier League(AUPL) teams showing signs of inconsistency this week, this season’s title race is shaping up to be one of the most open in recent history.
This is after SC Villa went top of the 16-team log despite dropping more points in a 1-all draw away to Bright Stars in Mwererwe.
Winger Martin Kizza continued his scoring form, profiting from a poor clearance from Bright Stars goalkeeper Benson Wagima to notch his sixth goal of the season.
Nelson Ssenkatuka, however, replied for the hosts to register his ninth goal of the campaign in a result that moved Villa to 37 points from 19 games one ahead of KCCA and Vipers. “One of those games when you throw everything but the goal just won’t come,” Villa assistant coach Paul Mukatabala remarked.
The result saw them drop points for the third time in four second round league games to allow KCCA go within a point and a chance of table leadership if they win their game in hand. The latter bounced back from a goalless draw against Masavu on Wednesday to defeat Soana courtesy of a Julius Poloto second half header that leaves them level on points with third placed Vipers. “We are happy with the result. The performance was average but the boys have shown character, have assumed responsibility that they will fight till the end.
The belief that we can go out there and get a good result should be appreciated,” KCCA manager Mike Mutebi noted.
The result left Soana dangerously close to the relegation spots and three points ahead of Proline who slipped into the bottom three after UPDF continued their resurgence by pipping Mbarara 1-0.
“We made one defensive mistake and we were punished. But our target remains finishing at least among the top 10 teams,” Soana assistant coach David Mutono said.