KCCA make the most of ‘easy’ fixtures to stay top

Cardosso (silhouetted left) and Vipers skipper Halid Lwaliwa were a bag of dejection as URA celebrate. PHOTO | EDDIE CHICCO

What you need to know:

  • The result was a second consecutive defeat for Arua Hill, whose only wins have come against Express and URA. They stay 11th with seven points.
  • URA subjected Vipers to their first loss under Brazilian coach Robertinho Oliveira in at the St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Saturday.

A tricky run of fixtures awaits KCCA with the club due to play Bul, Vipers, Police, Villa and Express in the next five games in December.

They can for now still celebrate the old phrase, you can only beat what’s in front of you. They did just that over the weekend by claiming a sixth win in seven games to stay top of Uganda Premier League.

Morley Byekwaso’s side defeated Arua Hill 1-0 to move to 19 points after seven games.

Striker Davis Kasirye, like his coach Byekwaso, continues to make a mockery of pre-season predictions, scoring the game’s only goal, a header off a Rogers Mayo delivery from the left.

The strike was his fourth goal of the season to surpass the tally he managed at all his previous three clubs – Villa, Vipers and UPDF.

“The players still forget a few things but they are showing real hunger to win games. Winning can also be about how you prepare and you also need some bit of luck which we got in Arua,” KCCA coach Byekwaso said.

URA clip Vipers

The result was a second consecutive defeat for Arua Hill, whose only wins have come against Express and URA. They stay 11th with seven points.

URA subjected Vipers to their first loss under Brazilian coach Robertinho Oliveira in at the St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Saturday.

Joackiam Ojera and Cromwell Rwothomio imposed the taxes, the first beautifully constructed by Shafik Kagimu as the Tax-men moved to 10 points after five games.

Vipers fall six points behind leaders KCCA in third with a game in hand and assistant head coach Marcelo Cardoso remains confident the result was just a blip.

“The players are responding well to the way we want the team to play. We had more possession today but didn’t take our chances,” Cardoso said of his team that made the better start and forced URA into several errors.

Champions Express ended Wakiso Giants’ four-game winning run courtesy of an Eric Kambale penalty while two well crafted goals from playmaker Abdallah Salim and Isaac Ogwang gave Villa a 2-1 win over Onduparaka.

Team P W D L F A Pts

1.KCCA 7 6 1 0 12 3 19

2.Bul 7 4 2 1 10 6 14

3.Vipers 6 4 1 1 12 5 13

4.Wakiso Giants 7 4 0 3 8 10 12

5.UPDF 7 3 2 2 9 9 11

6.Express 7 3 2 2 6 6 11

7.URA 5 3 1 1 15 7 10

8.Gaddafi 7 2 3 2 7 8 9

9.Onduparaka 7 2 2 3 4 6 8

10.Busoga United 6 2 1 3 6 5 7

11.Arua Hill 6 2 1 3 6 6 7

12.Mbarara City 7 2 1 4 6 7 7

13.SC Villa 5 2 1 2 5 6 7

14.Bright Stars 6 1 2 3 3 6 5

15.Tooro United 7 1 1 5 4 16 4

16.Police 7 0 1 6 2 9 1