Villa assume leadership as Vipers stumble again

StarTimes Uganda Premier League

Saturday results

Blacks Power 0-1 NEC 

URA 1-0 Vipers

UPDF 0-1 Kitara

Bul1-1 Entebbe UPPC

Mbarara City 1-3 KCCA

Lugazi 1-2 SC Villa

The StarTimes Uganda Premier League is beginning to take shape after nine rounds, with SC Villa assuming leadership but little separating the leading sides.

Zeljko Kovacevic’s Jogoos moved to 21 points after Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Lugazi, one ahead of NEC and BUL, who remain firmly in contention on 20 points. 

BUL have played a game fewer, while Entebbe UPPC and KCCA are next on 16 points, with the latter also having a match in hand.

It is still early to draw conclusions about the destination of the title, but the standings are already offering an intriguing contest for early-season positioning. 

Further down, defending champions Vipers have suffered successive defeats, raising questions about their start under new coach John Luyinda.

Villa’s latest victory in Lugazi was built on an early breakthrough from Frank Sebuufu, who struck in the fourth minute, before John Asiimwe doubled their advantage after the restart. 

Livingstone Mulondo’s late consolation made for an anxious finish, but Kovacevic’s men secured another important three points.

NEC kept the pressure on with a 1-0 win over Blacks Power in Bukedea. 

Fahad Bayo headed home Hakim Wandera’s delivery in the 45th minute to give the Diehards their sixth victory of the campaign.

They had to negotiate the closing stages with 10 men after Wandera was sent off in the 87th minute for a dangerous challenge on Yakim Rashid. NEC nevertheless protected their advantage to remain second.

BUL, meanwhile, missed an opportunity to stay top after Entebbe UPPC snatched a 1-1 draw at the Fufa Technical Centre. 

Alex Kitata put the hosts ahead, but Reich Kokolo struck a dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser to preserve UPPC’s fourth-place position on 16 points.

Meanwhile, KCCA are level with UPPC after extending their winning run to five matches with a 3-1 away victory over Mbarara City in Western Uganda.

Ivan Ahimbisibwe converted a penalty before Sammy Ssebaduka and Charles Lwanga completed the scoring for Brian Ssenyondo’s side, who have a game in hand on the teams above them.

Elsewhere, while the leading sides continue to jostle for position, defending champions Vipers are finding the going increasingly difficult.

The Venoms suffered a second successive league defeat, losing 1-0 to URA at Nakivubo after Moses Okabo Aliro scored in the 43rd minute.

URA goalkeeper Khassim Hafizi was instrumental in preserving the result, saving Farouk Miya’s late penalty to earn the man-of-the-match accolade.

The victory gave Sam Ssimbwa’s side successive wins and lifted them to 10 points, although they remain 11th. Vipers, meanwhile, are eighth on 11 points from eight matches, 10 behind Villa with a game in hand.

For John Luyinda, who recently took charge, the consecutive defeats underline the challenge of restoring consistency to a side expected to defend its crown.

Kitara also collected maximum points on the road, edging UPDF 1-0 to move to 11 points from just five matches. 

The Hoima-based side remain unbeaten and have several games in hand on the leading teams.