COACH JACKSON MAGERA HAILS KCCA FC'S MINDSET IN UPL FIGHT
KCCA FC returns to the top of the Uganda Premier League after a 2-1 victory over URA. Ivan Ahimbisibwe's brace secured the win, moving them level on 14 points with Police FC in a tight title race.
KCCA FC is back at the top of the StarTimes Uganda Premier League after a 2-1 win against URA at the MTN Omondi Stadium this Friday. Now, KCCA has 14 points, the same as Police FC, but Police still has a game to play.
KCCA FC coach Jackson Magera said URA wasn't an easy team.
“URA was a tough team. We played as one; every player gave it their all. We brought that energy to the game and kept control.”
“The team is getting better and more locked in each match. I think we can keep this up and keep fighting for the title.”
Ssebaduka got past his defender in the 17th minute and crossed the ball, which then went to Ivan Ahimbisibwe, who scored.
Ahimbisibwe scored again in the 41st minute and was named Man of the Match.
Joseph Ssemujju scored for URA in the 73rd minute, but they couldn't tie the game.
KCCA made some late changes, bringing in Emmanuel Anyama for Saidi Mayanja, Gavin Kizito for Ahimbisibwe, and Sharifu Ssengendo for Lazaro Muhindo.
Anyama almost scored twice but was stopped by the goalie and missed another shot. Even with late warnings for James Mubezi and Charles Lukwago, KCCA won.
Also on Friday, Mbarara City got their first win of the season, beating Buhimba United Saints 2-1 at Royals Park in Butema, Hoima.
Gaddafi Kacancu scored first in the 22nd minute, followed by Muhammad Kanyike two minutes later. Edson Agondeze scored for Buhimba in the 70th minute. Mbarara now has five points, while Buhimba still has nine.
On Thursday, SC Villa beat NEC 2-1 at FUFA Stadium. Najib Yiga scored early, Elvis Ngonde added another for Villa, and Daniel Shabene scored late in the game. Villa is now third with 13 points, while NEC is 12th with six points.
Kitara FC won against BUL 1-0 in Hoima, with Jimmy Kalema scoring in the 11th minute. BUL’s Tah Barni Kelvin was kicked out in the 28th minute.
On Saturday, Vipers SC moved to seventh after a 2-1 win over Maroons FC in Kitende.
Yunus Sentamu scored in the first minute, and then Usama Arafat scored in the eighth minute. Maroons scored early in the second half with a goal from Raymond Walugembe, but Vipers won.
KCCA BOUNCE BACK: KASASIRO BOYS OVERCOME RECENT SLUMP WITH A GRITTY 2-1 BUL WIN
KCCA are back: Discover how Ivan Ahimbisibwe and Herbert Achai secured a 2-1 win over Bul to rejoin the UPL title race.
Ivan Ahimbisibwe and Herbert Achai both found the net for KCCA, either side of a Denis Sewagudde goal, in a win that really should let coaches Ssenyondo and Jackson Magera breathe a little easier.
Zeal. Hunger. Character. Attitude. That’s what KCCA coach Brian Ssenyondo wanted to see after his team got handed their third loss in five games last week, a 3-1 defeat to NEC that stung. This time, he finally got it. KCCA showed all those qualities and pulled off a gritty 2-1 victory over Bul in the Uganda Premier League at Phillip Omondi Stadium on Wednesday night.
Ahimbisibwe and Achai scored for KCCA, with Sewagudde briefly levelling for Bul, and the result means Ssenyondo and Magera can at least feel the pressure lift for now.
But maybe more importantly, this win drags KCCA back into the title race. They’re now sitting on 33 points from 17 games, just five behind leaders Vipers.
The game started off tight, both sides feeling each other out, but Bul looked a little sharper early on. Even so, it was KCCA who broke the deadlock in the 31st minute with their first real chance. They overloaded the right, Saidi Mayanja whipped in a cross, and Ahimbisibwe, timing his run just right, dived in for a header. That’s his seventh goal of the season, and honestly, he’s been one of the few bright spots among the club’s new signings.
KCCA then had to dig in. Achai made a crucial block to deny Karim Ndugwa after a cross from Reagan Kalyowa. But just before halftime, the tricky Sewagudde bent in a free kick that completely wrong-footed KCCA keeper Mutwalibi Mugolofa, and Bul were level.
After the break, KCCA rediscovered their missing edge. Four minutes into the second half, left-back Achai stormed forward, played a quick one-two with Ashraf Mugume, then hammered the ball past Bul’s Ikara at the near post.
From there, KCCA held Bul at bay, sealing a rare home-and-away double over their Njeru-based rivals, who remain eighth on 20 points.
Earlier that day, Lugazi captain Richard Ayiko grabbed the winner as his side edged UPDF 1-0 in Najjembe, giving them a six-point cushion above the relegation zone. And at the bottom, Calvary finally picked up their fifth point of the season with a goalless draw against Express in Yumbe.
TITLE RACE HEAT: HOW VIPERS DROPPING HOME POINTS GIVES KITARA A CHANCE TO STRIKE
Vipers SC stay top of the UPL with 38 points! Discover how Warren Buule’s equaliser for NEC FC shook up the title race at Kitende.
NEC are stuck in seventh place with 24 points from 17 games. Vipers, even after dropping home points for just the second time this season, hang on to the top spot with 38.
Honestly, NEC have drawn more games than they'd like, nine out of 17. That’s a lot of stalemates in the Startimes Uganda Premier League. But this time, their 1-1 draw away to the reigning champs, Vipers, felt like more than just another point. It actually meant something, especially under the lights at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Tuesday evening.
Vipers came out flying. They grabbed the lead early and pretty much ran the first half. Six minutes in, Milton Karisa latched onto a slick through ball from Karim Watambala and curled a lovely left-footed shot past NEC keeper Hannington Ssebwalunyo. That was Karisa’s sixth goal of the season, and for a minute there, it looked like the Vipers were about to run riot, just like they did in their 4-0 demolition of Buhimba last time at home.
NEC looked shaky. Coach Badru Kaddu had seen enough and made two early changes, bringing on Shamir Kimwero and Joseph Dhata for Rashid Kawawa and Daniel Shabene inside 25 minutes. The switch helped steady things, but NEC didn’t really come to life until the second half.
Then, with 15 minutes left, substitute Emmanuel Kulanga swung in a cross, and Warren Buule was there at the far post to head in the equaliser. That goal was well earned; NEC were much better after the break. Richard Basangwa, playing up front, kept his old team busy and even got Bady Da Silva and Enoch Ssebagala booked. Ssebagala didn’t last much longer, getting subbed off after a rough tackle on his former side.
NEC has been busy in the mid-season transfer window. They’ve already added six new faces, and more are on the way. Sam Ssekamatte, who scored five goals for UPDF in the first round, watched from the stands with the rest of the unused squad.
So, NEC holds on to seventh, Vipers stay top, but Kitara could shake things up if they beat URA on Thursday. This title race isn’t done yet.
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