KCCA secure 13th title

KCCA players erupt into a frenzy soon after the final whistle in Ndejje. The 1-1 scoreline sealed the club’s 13th league triumph. PHOTO BY JOHN BATANUDDE

Kampala- KCCA will equal SC Villa’s record of 16 league titles in 2023 if the trend from the last seven years is to go by.
The newest StarTimes Uganda Premier League (SUPL) champions, KCCA, claimed their 13th title last evening after a 1-1 draw at Ndejje University to confirm their fresh status with two matches to spare.

Second half substitute Sadam Juma cancelled out Anwar Ntege’s 22nd minute opener for Ndejje to ensure closest challengers and deposed champions, Vipers, will not catch KCCA even if the Venoms won their remaining two games.

Manager Mike Mutebi’s KCCA can end the season with 66 points if they beat relegated Nyamityobora and Maroons, their final two matches.

“We have had a better season than the two last championships,” said a victorious Mutebi, “The goals and points have increased, there has been a slight improvement holistically.”

Mutebi, who is celebrating his third league title since returning to KCCA in 2015, added: “The league has operated at 50 percent and the opposing teams did little to chase the title.

“We had planned to win the league, Uganda Cup and going into the Caf Confederations Cup group stages.We failed on two but am happy we got the primary one.”

KCCA, who will receive their title at their final game of the season at their Lugogo home next Saturday, and Vipers have shared the gong between themselves since 2013.

And if the trend continues, complemented by Villa and Express’ continued failure to pick themselves out of sustained mediocrity, KCCA will be level with the Jogoos on 16 titles as early as 2023.

Of the last seven seasons, KCCA have claimed five titles against Vipers two, and the former have been getting them in double succession with the latter only occasionally interrupting. That trend would mean, ideally, that KCCA could make it 14 titles next year, with a Vipers interruption in 2021 before the yellow boys return to seize up Villa’s long held pride in a two-year double.

Now, this does not necessarily mean it will happen as projected, but if Express, Villa, and the more recent likely contender in form of URA, do not measure up, it is hard to see who will intervene in the above mentioned’s misery.
Yet, Mutebi is not planning on any relenting.
“We intend to dominate Ugandan football and with our young boys in continuing with the winning mentality we can achieve it. We have to win the remaining two matches.”

The new champions came into this match in Ndejje needing just one point to confirm their championship, while the hosts needed victory to stay their slim chances of survival.

The hosts dominated proceedings in the first half and striker Ntege should have netted more than once.
KCCA huffed and puffed, managing to grab a leveller on 61 minutes through Sadam Juma after a clever interplay between Allan Okello and Patrick Kaddu.

Sensing that the 13th trophy had been sealed, visiting fans began singing ‘Tuliyambala Engule’ and soon mingled with their heroes at the final whistle.

Coach Mutebi stayed glued to his seat for about four minutes, ostensibly to take in his third league title conquest.