Saturday result 

KCCA 3-2 Wakiso Giants

KCCA had to dig deep to starve off battling Wakiso Giants as the hosts prevailed 3-2 at the MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo on Saturday.

Substitute Ashraf Mugume grabbed a brace for KCCA and Geoffrey Wasswa scored the other goal, while Owen Kasule and a Tom Masiko late penalty ensured a thrilling game for neutrals.

The win has KCCA level on three points with free scoring Maroons and BUL, but the Kasasiro Boys lie third because of an inferior goal difference.

KCCA had a lion’s share of the ball throughout the game but Wakiso Giants never looked like giving up, the Purple Sharks battling for every ball and space.

Tshisungu Kakonde, the KCCA new Congolese striker, started upfront alongside Muhammad Shaban and showed his power and battling self on the ball.

He should have in fact opened the scoring for KCCA in the first half but his fierce drive from a free kick was tipped over and off the crossbar by Bashir Sekagya’s in Wakiso’s goal.

But KCCA soon broke the deadlock, Mugume, who came on for Emmanuel Wasswa before half time, thumping Moses Waiswa’s cross into the top right corner for a 52-minute lead.

Geoffrey Wasswa added the second for the hosts with a scrappy finish on 66 minutes but Wakiso refused to go away, Ibrahim Kasule converting Moses Aliro’s cutback past Ali Mwirusi in KCCA goal.

At 2-1 on 81 minutes, it was game on. But Mugume claimed his second goal in emphatic fashion, the midfielder unleashing a pile driver from outside the 18-yard box to make it 3-1 two minutes later.

Still, Wakiso Giants refused to give in, winning a penalty and KCCA old boy Tom Masiko beating Mwirusi from the spot on 87 minutes.

And the visitors will feel hard done for not leaving Lugogo with a point, which they could have earned but for Apollo Kagowe’s pinpoint header to just go inches wide with the clock ticking down.