Vipers run riot, KCCA see Stars
Mwemezi celebrates his strike with Bayo against Proline at Lugogo. PHOTO BY JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
SC Villa fell into yet another ambush, the 1-0 defeat to Busoga United following a 2-0 loss to URA as they started their second round Uganda Premier League campaign last week.
Vipers SC stretched their lead at the StarTimes Uganda Premier League (SUPL) summit by seven to 42 points after sweeping aside Proline 4-2 at Lugogo last evening.
Fahad Bayo and Denis Mwemezi each helped themselves to a brace, with Hamis Kiiza’s thunderbolt and Hakim Kiwanuka’s late strike only adding respectability to the scoreline.
“I thank my boys because they followed instructions,” said Vipers coach Edward Golola, “And yes KCCA has lost (to Bright Stars) but the league is still on. So for us we have to see that we win every match.” .
Proline, who took the lead through Vipers old boy Kiiza with a thunderous drive on eight minutes, failed to build onto their 2-1 victory at Maroons last week, remaining at the bottom with 12 points.
Mwemezi stabbed home the equaliser three minutes later before former Proline player, Bayo, made it 2-1 after Hassan Matovu spilled Paul Mucureezi’s effort.
Vipers third and Mwemezi’s second, a finely drilled effort from inside the 18-yard area on 20 minutes, further complicated Proline’s task.
The second half was a similar storyline, Proline subjected to furthet waves of Vipers attacks. In one of them, Mwemezi ‘collapsed’ under an Ibrahim Sendi challenge on the area.
Referee Mashood Ssali pointed to the penalty spot and Bayo buried it on 57 minutes for his 11th of the campaign. Kiwanuka did pull one back for Proline but it really mattered less.
Villa’s Muwawu (L) and Kiggundu feel the pain after an own goal. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
In Kavumba, Bright Stars continued to boost their survival hopes by picking up their second straight win of the second round; the 2-1 victory denting KCCA’s chances of retaining the title.
Midfielder Jamil Karisa played an influential part setting up Joseph Janjali to tap home at the near post from his left wing cross before Muzamiru Mutyaba equalised with a firm left footed volley before the break.
Bright Stars then got the decisive goal late on when Karisa exchanged passes with substitute Ronald Ssempala, the latter - who also had a goal wrongly chocked off in KCCA’s first round victory - making it count this time.
Closed down spaces
“They closed down the spaces and didn’t allow us to play,” admitted KCCA manager Mike Mutebi, whose side remain on 35 points, “My boys were a bit soft and the opponents deserved to win.”
Paul Kiwanuka, the hosts coach, said: “We know the situation we are in but when we give our all we know we can collect enough points.”
At Namboole, SC Villa’s woes continued with an own goal from defender Moses Kigundu on 75 minutes ensuring Busoga’s 1-0 win.
Substitute Bashir Mutanda hit the post in the second half after Ronald Magwali and Nicholas Kabonge had fluffed Villa chances in the first half, but it was Busoga who really owned the evening.
“We knew Villa’s weaknesses just like it was the case before we beat Express (2-0) last week,” Busoga United coach Abbey Kikomeko told Daily Monitor.
“We didn’t console ourselves in losing striker Joel Madondo but we believed in ourselves and pressed them for the entire 90 minutes.” Villa visit Vipers on Friday.
