Villa on the brink

Matchday 28 results

Mbarara City 0-0 BUL

SC Villa 2-1 URA

Busoga United 1-2 Vipers SC

UPDF 2-1 Maroons

KCCA 4-0 Wakiso Giants

Soltilo Bright Stars 1-0 Kitara

The country’s most successful league side, SC Villa, are on course to exorcising their 20-year demons after seizing the StarTimes Uganda Premier League title initiative on Tuesday.

Villa came from behind to beat URA 2-1 at Wankulukuku on a day hitherto table leaders, BUL, failed to win at Mbarara City and Kitara lost at Soltilo Bright Stars.

History beckons

Defending champions, Vipers SC, did their part, beating Busoga United 2-1 to go into the final day within a point of the Jogoos, but ultimately the initiative is now with the 16-time record league winners.

Villa will win their first league title since 2004 if they beat NEC at Lugogo on Saturday, but any faltering could see BUL and Vipers pounce.

The Jogoos, who have conducted their business throughout the season rather under the radar, now top standings on 54 points.

That is one more point than second-placed BUL and Vipers in third. Kitara are fourth on 51 points, three ahead of KCCA.

Tense atmosphere

At Wankulukuku, it was a match of anxiety, just like it was on the final day last season, when URA beat Villa to deny the Blues the title.

Bruno Bunyaga’s 79th minute goal put URA on course to continuing their unbeaten streak against Villa for years.

But two strikes within a space of five minutes, first from Umar Lutalo on 82 minutes, and then a powerful shot from Kenneth Ssemakula outside the 18-yard box won the Jogoos the day and initiative.

Bunyaga headed home Saidi Kyeyune’s cross unmarked but lacklustre defending from URA, who failed to clear a long ball inside their area, allowed Lutalo to emphatically strike home an equaliser eight minutes from full time. 

The stage was set for Villa captain, Ssemakula, to write the headlines, and write them with style he did!

URA poorly cleared their lines after a Villa onslaught down the left. The loose ball then found its way to Pilsner Man of the Match, Ssemakula, some 30 yards away from goal.

Ssemakula, who has played both in defence and midfield for club and country, set himself up and loaded a powerful drive that saw the ball bounce in front of URA goalkeeper, Denis Otim, and into the back of the net for the winner.

Serbian touch

Scenes of jubilation engulfed Wankulukuku as the Villa faithful took in the possibilities heading into the final day.

History now also awaits SC Villa coach Dusan Stojanovic, who could become the second straight Serbian to win the league title with the Jogoos.

Former Uganda Cranes coach, Micho Sredojevic, is the last coach to win a league title with Villa in 2004, and was instrumental in Stojanovic landing the job.

But for that piece of history to be rewritten, Villa will have to do what they failed to do on the final day of last season. And that is by winning their game without caring what happens elsewhere.

The Jogoos will make a short trip to Lugogo to face NEC, who beat Express on Monday. They win that and they are champions for a record-extending 17th time.

BUL, Vipers still in it, undecided at the bottom

Any other result and Vipers beat Mbarara City at Kitende, or BUL win the Jinja derby against Busoga, it will be heartbreak for the Blues all over again.

Talking Vipers, goals from skipper Milton Karisa and Abdul Nsereko in the 21st and 68th minutes fended off any Busoga fightback at the Fufa Technical Centre in Njeru to ensure the Venoms go into the final day with a chance. 

Bashamu Mugwa netted Busoga’s consolation in between. With that defeat, Busoga allowed UPDF, who triumphed over Maroons 2-1, to go into the final day with a chance of survival at their expense.

Tebandeke Christopher’s own goal gave Maroons the lead on 52 minutes but strikes from Muwadda Mawejje and Faridi Rashid ensured the soldiers went into the final day with some chance of survival.

A Busoga win over BUL on Saturday will guarantee their safety, while UPDF must win and hope Busoga and Gaddafi, who could move to 25 points – one more than UPDF – if they win their game in hand with Express on Wednesday, falter for them to stay up.

KCCA raining goals, Kitara deflated

Elsewhere, Wakiso Giants shipped in four without reply against KCCA, with Muhammad Shaban, Filbert Obenchan, Haruna Lukwago and Joao Gabriel scoring the Kasasiro Boys goals at Lugogo.

The highest points KCCA can finish on is 51, with their final game away to Maroons. 

At Kavumba Recreation Ground, hosts Soltilo Bright Stars blurred Kitara’s hopes of winning their first ever league title by beating the visitors 1-0 courtesy of a Shafik Kakande first half winner.

The win moved Bright Stars to 35 points in ninth place, while Kitara’s seventh defeat saw the Royals dim their title hopes. 

Kitara, who end their otherwise brilliant season at home to Gaddafi, lie fourth on the log with 51 points.