Thursday results
Gaddafi 2-2 Soltilo Bright Stars
Vipers SC 2-0 URA
Ten-man Vipers SC exuded confidence as they beat URA 2-0 in a StarTimes Uganda Premier League (SUPL) match played at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende on Thursday.
Pilsner Man of the Match Eric Kambale and the experienced Abdu Lumala scored the Venoms’ goals to down coach David Obua’s Tax Collectors.
The only downside to coach Leo Neiva’s victorious side, who also saw new signing Allan Okello make his Vipers cameo in the second half, was the red card to Isa Mubiru in the 77th minute.
Vipers’ fifth win in eight matches sees them move up to second place on the 16-team table.
The Venoms, who have played a game more than leaders BUL, are – at 17 points – a mark fewer than the pace setters.
URA, who have won just two games in 10, are down in eighth place on 10 points.
Quick start
Here at St Mary’s, the home side went ahead in the eighth minute when URA needlessly ceded possession in the midfield.
Abubaker Lawal seized it and drove forward, his square pass throwing four to five URA bodies in confusion to find Kambale, who struck a fierce drive from outside the 18-yard box to beat Denis Otim in the Tax Collectors goal for 1-0.
Otim thereafter made several heroic saves to ensure URA went into halftime only a goal down.
But the Venoms doubled their advantage just seven minutes into the second half after a moment of nerves from Najib Fesali.
Joshua Lubwama passed a harmless ball to Fesali, who was lacklustre in receiving and passing it towards his goalkeeper, Otim.
A prying Lumala read the situation, running onto the half-hearted pass and rounding Otim to make it 2-0 on 52 minutes.
The only dent on Vipers’ good day out was the sending off of Mubiru after he received his second yellow card on 77 minutes.
Stalemate in Jinja
URA did not seriously threaten Fabien Mutombora in Vipers goal until the 78th and 84th minutes when Saidi Kyeyune drew two brilliant saves from him with long range efforts.
In the day’s other match,Benson Muhindo and Steven Munguchi scored for hosts Gaddafi while Shafic Kakande and Nelson Senkatuka for Soltilo Bright Stars as the two sides exchanged leads before settling for a 2-2 draw at the Gaddafi Arena.
Gaddafi are seventh on 10 points from eight matches while Bright Stars are five places down in 12th on seven points.