Friday Uganda Premier League Results
Jinja SSS 0-1 KCCA
Onduparaka 3-0 Masavu
Mbarara City 1-1 URA
Soana 3-1 Bul
UPDF 0-0 Maroons
Police 0-0 Bright Stars
By Denis West
KCCA have a dream of establishing a Uganda Premier league juggernaut akin to SC Villa’s dominion between 1998 and 2004.
It is a dream that has chances of fruition and failure. One that history will look back and applaud.
The nation’s sole representatives in the Caf Champion’s League are not giving up on a third straight league title even with renewed challenge from log leaders SC Villa and third placed Vipers.
Friday’s hard fought 1-0 win over Kirinya-Jinja SSS at Bugembe was one of those signature victories for potential champions.
It was a game that asked several questions about their durability, determination, squad depth and character and a couple of answers were forwarded.
Mike Mutebi had travelled to the dreaded Bugembe stadium without his most reliable assist maker – Mustapha Kizza, playmaker Allan Okello, versatile winger Julius Poloto and striker Muhammad Shaban and hoped to win.
It wasn’t going to be easy, and indeed it wasn’t until Derrick Nsibambi powered home a header on 84 minutes for KCCA.
The 12-time league champions showed another imperative facet, they also can win ugly and have a never-say-never attitude embedded in them.
But wait a minute, their showed their vulnerability and struggles away from the confines of StarTimes stadium-Lugogo – something that has hampered their league winning chances this season.
Then again they also showed they gasp for goals recently with Nsibambi’s goal helping to shake off a 390-minute goalless monkey that he has been saddled with.
Yes, KCCA is the highest scoring team in the league with 31 goals compared to Vipers 25 and Villa’s 22 but at times it matters most how those goals a punctuated between matches.
The other positive KCCA can pride in is another clean sheet by the backline of Charles Lukwago (goalkeeper), Timothy Awany, Denis Okot, Habib Kavuma and Paul Musamali which makes the Kasasiro boys – at 9 goals conceded – the second best defence behind leaders Villa that have just leaked in only 8.
Defences keep you put up challenge in a tourney but goals win you the ultimate prize, so goes a football dictum.
Interestingly, this season’ KCCA squad has achieved what last year’s team failed to get – Caf Champions League group stage qualification – but fans and pundits still scoff at its pitiable squad depth.
When you have Jamal Malyamungu, Filbert Ochan, Hassan Musana, Peter Magambo, Patrick Kaddu and Ibrahim Wamannah on the substitutes’ bench, your hopes of throwing on one late on to redeem the match will be low. Yet Mutebi believes in all his players having the capability to make impact and it is the reason he gave January signing Solomon Okwalinga, who he believes is as good a creative cog as Muzamir Mutyaba, a chance to start against Jinja SSS.
A close look at the league contest in the last 10 or nine games paints a picture of the enormous yet possible task KCCA have on their hands to upstage SC Villa and Vipers to achieve their aforesaid dream. Fasten you belts for a thrilling title showdown guys.
Wednesday UPL matches
KCCA vs Mbarara City, Lugogo
Vipers vs Bright Stars, Kitende
Soana vs SC Villa, Kavumba
Jinja SSS vs Express, Bugembe
