Proline stun Vipers
Head boy: Proline striker Bonyo celebrates his team’s extra-time winner at StarTimes Stadium in Lugogo. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
- Express and Bright Stars complete the semifinal matchups of the competition won by KCCA last year.
Kampala. Shafik Bisaso is not the most experienced coach in domestic football having handled his first topflight team in 2013 in his first stint at Proline.
Now in his second spell at the club, he masterminded their Stanbic Uganda Cup quarterfinal 2-1 extra-time victory against three more experienced coaches to dump Vipers out of the competition.
The Venoms are under the interim leadership of Kenyan coach Michael Nam Ouma and Edward Golola.
But they were also assisted by former Kenya national youth team coach Tom Olaba on the day and despite forcing extra time were beaten by Big League side Proline.
In a sign of things to come, former Vipers youth team captain Noordin Bunjo gave Proline a 24th minute lead with a left footed shot on the turn after Vipers failed to clear a loose ball in the box. As they led at half time, Olaba who is not known to be part of Viper’s technical team gave the team talk alongside Ouma.
He was thereafter seen yelling out instructions from his seat behind the perimeter fence as Vipers improved slightly after the break in what had become a fast-paced end to end game.
Daniel Mzee Sserunkuma and Halid Lwalirwa both hit the woodwork for Vipers while goalkeeper Derrick Ochan twice made brilliant saves to deny Proline’s Ivan Bogere and Ibrahim Wamannah.
Vipers then got an equalizer when a quick corner kick was swung in by Innocent Wafula for captain Taddeo Lwanga to head home on 75 minutes.
But they then failed to add a second as Proline resorted to playing on the break and were duly punished when substitutes Hakim Kiwanuka and Ibrahim Bonyo combined on the right flank for the latter to plan home a header.
The result means there are two Big League teams in the semifnals of this season’s Uganda Cup with Kyetume having defeated Wakiso Giants.
Express and Bright Stars complete the semifinal matchups of the competition won by KCCA last year.
Proline owner Mujib Kasule, on a working trip in the UK, was delighted that the win was achieved with four players - Bunjo, Bright Anukani, Joshua Okiror and Richard Ajuna - who joined the academy at 8 years.
