Vipers slip opens up title race

Reigning StarTimes Uganda Premier League champions Vipers had started to gain an aura of invincibility when  Gaddafi shot them down on Sunday in Jinja.

Roberto Oliveira's Venoms had raked up telling wins against Blacks Power, UPDF, Arua Hill, URA and SC Villa and  we're shoo-in to overcome the on and off Soldiers to leapfrog KCCA and Wakiso Giants at the top.

Forward Alex Kitata's strike inside the opening minute at Kakindu was a enough to earn Gaddafi the 1-0 lifeline that carried them  to seventh on the log with 15 points from 10 matches.

Vipers are third on the table with 20 points from 10 matches, two behind leaders KCCA that dispatched Onduparaka 1-0 on Friday in Bombo through Allan Okello and Muhammad Shaban strikes. 

Vipers sharpness lacked in the absence of talisman Yunus Sentamu who has bagged six goals so far but dogged by recurring injuries.

KCCA hopeful

As Vipers were whining for lost points, Morley Byekwaso's KCCA broke no sweat mauling bottom side Onduparaka 2-0 at Bombo on Friday to climb to the table summit.

There were emotions as Onduparaka bred kid Shaban turned the guns against them on 45 minutes after Okello had netted the lead on 31 minutes.

As he marked his first strike for the Kasasiro Boys since his return, Shaban who finished of a stellar Okello through ball didn't celebrate but to Byekwaso, yet to get the team playing to impress, it mattered less.

The same day, Alex Isabirye's Bul recovered from a blip to beat surprise package Wakiso Giants 2-0 at the Fufa Njeru Technical Center to go fourth on the table with 20 points from 10 matches. John Ayala's Purple Sharks are second on the table with 21 points from 11 matches and still have a gigantic task to improve their away performances.

Jogoo redemption

There was relief in the SC Villa camp when they trounced visitors Maroons 1-0 at the Akibua Stadium-Lira to arrest a damning slump that had spanned three matches.

Rookie Patrick Kakande scored early on yesterday to give Villa the deserved lead and earn a fifth spot with 17 points from 11 matches.

The record league champions are still bedeviled by a points deduction and forced stadium ban that they must overcome to stay in the title contention.

Muhammad Senfuma's Maroons that have lost to Vipers and Blacks Power and drawn with URA and UPDF are 11th on the log with 10 points from 10 matches.

This afternoon at Kakindu Stadium, wallowing Busoga United, second from bottom with just three points from nine matches will test Soltilo Bright Stars' resurgence.

After three straight wins, Asaph Mwebaze's Stars are in Jinja to climb from their eighth slot and 14 points with all the goal hopes tagged on rejuvenated forward Nelson Senkatuka who is tied on six goals with Sentamu.

StarTimes Uganda Premier League 

Results 

Express 0-1 Arua Hill

URA 0-0 Blacks Power

Bul 2-1 Wakiso Giants

KCCA 1-0 Onduparaka 

URA 0-0 Blacks Power 

SC Villa 1-0 Maroons

Gaddafi 1-0 Vipers