SC Villa cry foul, Vipers stretch run

Uganda Premier League (UPL) leaders Vipers stretched their unbeaten run to 13 games after a Musa Doca own goal denied SC Villa maximum points at Buikwe last evening.

Erisa Ssekisambu had given Villa the lead on 55 minutes before the hosts levelled eight minutes from time. The 1-1 draw leaves Vipers top with 31 points while SC Villa fall one down to third on 27.

Reigning champions KCC thumped Soana 4-0 at Lugogo to dislodge Villa from second place but the two are level on 27 points. A Michael Birungi brace and two other goals from Herman Wasswa and Derrick Nsibambi earned coach Abdallah Mubiru all three points.

Back at Buikwe, Villa coach Ssimbwa was left fuming following referee Donney Robert’s failure to award the visitors a penalty when they were already 1-0 up. Nicholas Wadada had fouled Victor Emenayo.

“I’m not happy with the referee,” Ssimbwa said, “He made sure we didn’t win. First with the Emenayo decision, then freekick that led to the goal.” Villa’s Ivan Kiwewa seemed to have been impeded in the run-up to the said free kick from which Doca found the back of his own goal.

But the coach did not absolve his players of blame, especially Ssekisambu’s miss at the start of the second half before the striker finally broke the deadlock. “We should have scored more,” Ssimbwa added.

Vipers coach Edward Golola thought his players had given Villa “too much respect but we played better in second half.”

On Villa’s penalty complaints, Golola said: “The referee was poor. He favoured Villa in the first half, then he seemed to change in the second. But they (referees) have off days.”

At Wankulukuku, former Express star Kefa Kisala guided his Bul side to a 2-1 victory over the Red Eagles to jump three places up to fifth on 22 points.

Milton Kalisa grabbed a brace for Bul while Bakaki Shafik netted the hosts’ consolation as they fell two to sixth, 10 points off the top.
At Kavumba Robert Ssentongo and Patrick Ochan scored as URA moved one up to fourth (23 points) after a 2-1 victory over Police. Osman Mutumba scored for the cops.
Ten-man Rwenshama left the bottom of the log for the first time after their second victory of the season, a 2-1 win over Lweza.
Rwenshama’s Julius Malingumu continued his impressive form by scoring one – his sixth in four games - before turning villain as he was sent off for a second yellow card.
Yunus Kasozi scored the second to complete the 2-1 victory over Lweza while Fred Kalanzi netted the visitors consolation.

UGANDA PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
YESTERDAY’S RESULTS
Rwenshama 2-1 Lweza
Sadolin Paints 0-0 Simba
Kira Young vs Entebbe (postoned)
Vipers 1-1 SC Villa
KCC 4-0 Soana
Police 1-2 URA Express 1-2 Bul

Referees among key talking points

Poor referees
Referee Donney Robert failed to control the match between Vipers and Villa in Buikwe. His performance was found wanting when he denied Villa a clear penalty just moments after he had called a wrong throw-in for the Mityana-based side in the second half. The fact that Vipers coach Edward Golola wasn’t satisfied with the referee’s performance, accusing him of favouring Villa in the first half doesn’t do match officials any favours.

KCC’s hot home form
For KCC, home form will be key to how they finish the season.
In the first half of the season they have been inconsistent on the road, losing 10 points out of a possible 18 but ruthless at home where they have garnered 19 out of 21points. Actually in their home games, KCC seem to get everything right in the first half before happily seeing out games in the second half.

Player exodus
Local stars are attracting suitors within the region and one would only wonder how much more revenue would come in for the clubs especially the small ones if the players were being watched allover the continent.
Express’ Simon Sserunkuma and KCC’s Brian Majwega have moved to Tanzania while Brian Umony is tipped to join Kenyan side Gor Mahia as a replacement for Dan Sserunkuma.

Struggling Express
Coach Wasswa Bbosa can’t be a happy man. At least not after his side have failed to register a win in their past four games. Express last won against strugglers Lweza on November 21, then coming off a three-match winning streak, but have since registered two draws and two losses