Vipers reload guns for final bend

After a ghastly start to the season, league holders Vipers seem to be hitting form at just the right time thus becoming the favourites in the closely contested title race.

No department has betrayed Vipers' StarTimes Uganda Premier League retention bid more this season than a misfiring forward line that is uncharacteristically  nowhere in the top scorer's race. 

Their marksmen  - Abubaker Lawal, Fumidor Awisome, Eric Kambale and Milton Karisa - are all locked in at four goals each - way below KCCA forward Muhammad Shaban who leads the goal charts with 14 strikes.

Vipers, second in the table with 45 points from 23 matches, face seventh-placed Maroons on Tuesday at the St Mary's Stadium-Kitende with other goal outlets - Bright Anukani, Muhammad Ekbad, Yunus Sentamu and Karim Wantambala - each carrying three goals.

With the completion of this season's title race changing every match that passes, Vipers coach Richard Wasswa will hope that his forwards exude the same hunger and precision they partly exhibited in Friday's statement win over Kitara.

The second goal in the 2-0 triumph particularly stood out - with substitute Watambala gliding on the left before unleashing a cross into the box that Kambale dummied for the onlashing  Lawal to hit the ball into the roof of the net - unmarked.

It was training ground stuff that pointed to the slight  improvement in Vipers' striking realm as the four-team title race headed into the final bend.

Abbey Kikomeko's Bul, 46 points from 24 matches, sit at the summit for now but there remains a feeling that they falter when it matters most and usual suspects Vipers take the opportunity to pounce.

Warders fire warning

Having held the Venoms to a 1-all draw at Luzira in the first round last December, Maroons coach Muhammad Ssenfuma believes the Prison Warders can cause an upset again this evening. 

"The seven points we have got from the last three matches (Express, Busoga United and Mbarara City) give us the confidence that we can collect results at Kitende.

"Even a point will do us but I can promise the fans that they are in for a beautiful and competitive match because our players are under no pressure to commit mistakes," Ssenfuma revealed.

The 3-0 mauling of Busoga United last week took Maroons to 38 points from 24 matches in seventh and elevated brace hero Fred Amaku to third in the golden boot race with 12 goals.

"Amaku has scored three goals in the last three matches which gives me hope that he is going to cause trouble for Vipers' defence because our players tend to lift themselves against big teams like Vipers.

"They (Vipers) have changed a lot because they have a coach (Wasswa) who knows them inside out and the players will want to please him," he added. 

StarTimes Uganda Premier League

Tuesday at 7pm 

Vipers vs. Maroons, Kitende 
Live on Sanyuka Prime TV

Stanbic Uganda Cup

Semifinals fixtures

Kitara vs. Pajule Lions
Bul vs. Nec
First legs: April 27-28