Sekajugo quadruple lights up five-star URA
Forward Sekajugo (right) was in scintillating form yesterday, bagging four goals in the battering of home side Wakiso Giants. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
- Red-hot. After his move from Wakiso Giants to URA last August, Sekajugo sttruggled to find his feet for most of the first round but reminded his former employers of his ruthlessness.
So many times, URA have dropped the ball in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League title race. Last week’s damaging 1-0 loss to KCCA left them eight points behind leaders Vipers.
However, the Tax Collectors are not giving in their bid to win a fifth title and first since 2011. Yesterday, striker Viane Sekajugo bagged a hat trick to aid a 5-0 stroll at his former side, 10-man Wakiso Giants, at the Kabaka Kyabaggu stadium.
Consequently, they cut the gap on Vipers to five points. Having played 18 games, one more than Vipers and KCCA, URA have 34 points. KCCA, on 36 points, are second. Coach Alex Gitta’s Wakiso have 27 points in seventh.
None of the top two will be comfortable with URA breathing down their neck after narrowly missing out on last season’s title as the league was cut short by Covid-19.
When the league was suspended during the lockdown, URA had 57 points, one adrift of would-be champions Express, with four games to play. It’s time to make amends.
Striker Steven Mukala flicked a long ball onto Sekajugo’s left foot. He blasted the ball past goalkeeper Samson Kirya in the third minute.
The diminutive forward missed a chance in the 12th minute then saw his goalkeeper Nafian Aliozni turn away a Rahmat Senfuka header. Sekajugo, who left Wakiso for URA last August, profited from donkey work between Mukwala and Shafik Kagimu to tap in from close range on 42 minutes.
The difference between the two sides in the first stanza was clearly Sekajugo. Besides the goals, he ran the defence ragged and was involved in everything good for coach Sam Timbe’s side. In the 62nd minute, Sekajugo picked off defender George Kaddu then dinked the ball over Kirya for his third.
There was more to come as he diverted Saidi Kyeyune’s corner into an unguarded net as Alionzi lost his bearings with eight minutes to play. Substitute Livin Kabon finished the rout. Kabon had come on for Sekajugo, sadly. Surely, there was room for a quintuple. Last season, KCCA duo in Brian Aheebwa and Samuel Ssenyonjo, UPDF’s Brian Kalumba, and Nathan Oloro (Kitara) all bagged quadruples in the league.
Wakiso defender George Kaddu was then sent off in the second half for fouling Sekajugo. At Kavumba, Juma Balinya cancelled out Yasin Mugume’s goal for Solitilo Bright Stars in a 1-all draw with Police as the relegation fight intensified.
Bright Stars are 14th on 16 to remain in the bottom three. Police are 10th on 18 points. All will be interested in SC Villa’s visit to Tooro United today.
Villa, who lie 11th, have 17 points. Bottom side, Tooro (eight points), are unbeaten in their last two under ex-Villa coach Ibrahim Kirya. Busoga United (14 points) is the other side in the relegation zone.
In the other game, Arua Hill, sixth on 28 points, could rise above Bul when the two clash at the Barifa stadium today. The visitors are fourth on 29.
UGANDA PREMIER LEAGUE
Results
Bright Stars 1-1 Police
Wakiso Giants 0-5 URA
Today’s fixtures – 4pm
Arua Hill vs. Bul,
Barifa
Tooro United vs. Villa,
Buhinga
