Villa hitting requisite chords to sniff at UPL title

In the face of adversity, StarTimes Uganda Premier League record winners SC Villa are suddenly standing up to be counted in the hotly contested title race.

Many are now noticing firsthand Dusan Stojanovic's Jogoos' well planned title challenge that has now seen them win two gigantic fixtures (Express and Bul) minus four core players -  Patrick Kakande, Cyrus Kibande, Abasi Kyeyune and Hakim Mutebi  (with Hippos in Ghana).

The league title race took another twist on Friday as SC Villa climbed back into the top four with a 1-0 win at second-placed Bul while champions Vipers slipped up by losing 1-0 to KCCA at Kitende.

At 36 points from 19 matches, Villa now trail leaders Kitara by seven points with two matches in hand and will be emboldened by both Bul and Vipers continued free-fall.

Hussein Mbalangu's NEC silently sit third with 37 points from 21 points but the new league entrants still possess lingering doubts of sustaining a bonafide title charge when push comes to shove.

Serbian revolution

Redemption is rarely more emphatic than the Jogoos' spot on approach that finally floored Bul on the fifth time of asking at the Fufa Technical Centre in Njeru.

 It is a familiar theme of Stojanovic's tenure  to use past frustrations to fuel future successes, and both planned victories over Express and Bul have been devastating statements of how efficacious that tool can be.

Trust the reserved Serb, he has not whined about the absence of the aforementioned quartet but dwelt more on exploiting SC Villa's squad depth, instill possession football and reminding the players about the club pride.

Subsequently,  players like rookie goalkeeper Jeans Braddy Wokorach (saved Bul penalty) have stepped up to displace Medi Kibirige and Norman Angufidru and forgotten midfielder David Owori (scored winner at Bul) has been empowered again to  fill Kakande's protagonist role.

Villa's title challenge agonizingly fell apart on the last day of last season and Stojanovic is eager to mitigate possible setbacks this time around.

Their next five league fixtures even trickier on paper  - Mbarara City, Busoga United, Soltilo Bright Stars,Gaddafi and KCCA - but with a full squad back after the upcoming international break, expect some routine victories to fuel the Jogoos quest.

Mubiru's sigh of relief

Nothing seems to be going right for Livingstone Mbabazi's fifth-placed Vipers at the moment. 

Even when they were close to celebrating a draw with KCCA, the disillusioned Venoms faltered in the 93rd minute to concede from Mustafa Kizza's penalty at the St Mary's Stadium-Kitende.

Like the norm is at Kitende, Mbabazi's job now hangs in balance after the home humiliation by archrivals KCCA that left them with 35 points yet to his opposite number Abdallah Mubiru, victory endeared him to the fans and management more.

"We agreed with the players to show worth in these big games and they responded. Our fans have finally got something to cheer about (after suffering nine losses in the league this term)," Mubiru revealed.

Rooted eighth in the table with 29 points from 20 matches, KCCA chose to celebrate the breaking of the 'Kitende losing jinx' hoping it can propel a gradual rise in their placement. 

Startimes Uganda Premier League 

Results

Bul 0-1 SC Villa
Vipers 0-1 KCCA