Express leave KCCA dazzled

Express FC have been in the news mostly for positive reasons since Kiryowa Kiwanuka took over club leadership in the close season.
The club has however been craving a big statement to match that off field buzz and were without a win in four games since unveiling their partnership with online betting giants Betway last month.

That headline result finally arrived yesterday as Express finished on the winning end of a 3-2 thriller against KCCA on a wet Betway Muteesa II Wankulukuku Stadium pitch.

The result, was a first defeat of the season for leaders KCCA who stay on 24 points after 11 games while Express jumped three places to seventh with 16 points.

It was also the first time that the Red Eagles claimed a league win at Wankulukuku over their traditional rivals in eight seasons.
“We told the boys to work harder. We knew we were facing an organized side playing in Caf and we had to play like them,” Express coach Kefa Kisala saidof his team’s performance.

Michael Birungi in his best performance thus far season opened the scores in the 16th minute of the high tempo game against his former employers with a header off a Disan Galilwango left wing delivery.

But KCCA fought back six minutes into the second half when Allan Kyambadde took advantage of hesitation between defender John Revita and Tony Kyamera to side step the substitute goalkeeper and score.

A frantic final 22 minutes then saw three goals with scored with Eric Kambale stealing in behind the KCCA backline to score the second for Express before Charles Lukwago allowed a Galilwango freekick to cross the line. Another substitute Allan Okello headed in a trademark Mustafa Kizza freekick, the latter’s second assist and fourth in the last two games for KCCA. “Express deserved to win, our attacking lacked a bit and at times we had three forwards against five defenders. I can’t blame the pitch because it is what we have,” KCCA manager Mike Mutebi said afterwards.

Elsewhere, third placed Onduparaka missed the chance to close in on leaders KCCA as they suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Bul in Jinja.

At the bottom, SC Villa continues to be associated with relegation talk after only managing a 1-1 draw away to Ndejje. The result saw them drop a place to 13th despite Bashir Mutanda’s scorcher making him the league’s joint top scorer with seven goals.

They exchanged places with Maroons on the 16-team log who required a brace from the rejuvenated Rashid Agau to inflict a 2-1 defeat on Nyamityobora for whom coach Asaph Mwebaze lost again on his return to Luzira.

The latter remain level on four points with bottom side Paidha Black Angels who fell to a David Bagoole strike against Kirinya Jinja.