By Denis West
To a large extent, Tuesday’s title shaping ties lived to the billing, only that they left more questions than answers.
The epic Vipers’ 1-0 win at Masaka, which served Villa their first home loss at Masaka Recreation Grounds, not only exposed the hidden flaws in the Jogoos’ amour but also catapulted the Venoms into genuine title contenders.
The hard fought win brought them within three points of leaders Villa with a game in hand and less than seven games left to play.
As Dan ‘Muzeyi’ Sserunkuma’s ferocious strike brought down Villa crumbling like a pack of cards, third place KCCA were being held by a resolute Onduparaka at the dreaded Green Light Stadium in Arua.
Muhammad Shaban’s clinical strike for KCCA on seven minutes, against his parent club, had given Mike Mutebi premature hope that they were about to narrow the gap on Villa only for red hot winger Vianney Ssekajugo to level the matters for Onduparaka on 71 minutes.
Villa fans, in multitudes in Masaka, then found consolation in the Arua draw as they trekked 80kms back to Kampala.
That gives us another angle to the title contention – looking at the fixture line-up for the trio in line with the title run in.
Interestingly, Villa, KCCA and Vipers have to face an Express side so desperate to avoid the chop that they can’t afford to lose any more points.
Pundits predict the title race may boil down to who gets maximum points from the Red Eagles coached by the unwavering duo of George ‘Best’ Nsimbe and Shafiq Bisaso.
Whereas Vipers can afford to smile for having to host Express at St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende, Villa and KCCA will head to Wankulukuku in what will prove to be the ‘games of their lives’.
The title race also has to navigate through the ‘distraction’ of Uganda Cup quarters that start this weekend with Villa visiting slippery KJT and KCCA heading to Hoima to face giant killers Kitara.
That will inevitably call for a deeper squad depth for any side with ambitions of a league and cup double.
KCCA doesn’t have this luxury going by their formbook and injury causalities whereas Vipers and Villa struggle to get the same input from their bench players who on paper look ‘competent and capable’.
Best striking force may determine winner
As witnessed in Masaka on Tuesday, Villa’s title dreams may collapse due to an impotent striking force that wasted five clear cut chances against Vipers.
Yubu Bogere, Alex Kitata, George Ssenkaaba and Davis Kasirye have a combined goal tally of less than 10 in over 20 games which inevitably heaps the goal scoring burden on left winger Martin Kizza.
Villa’s 25 league goals in 24 matches have come out of collective effort of midfielders and defenders yet any title contending side must have a reliable goal source – which nine goal hero Kizza isn’t of course.
“Our strikers have been so wasteful and that isn’t for today only but entire season, hopefully we bounce back early,” Villa assistant coach Paul Mukatabala revealed after their first home loss.
Turn over to KCCA, and you will have Muhammad Shaban, at seven goals, bragging as the club’s top scorer.
At Five, Derrick Nsibambi and Patrick Kaddu (three) offer back up but this is a great reduction from the goal-laden reign of departed 32 goal hero Geoffrey Sserunkuma.
Yes, KCCA have scored the highest number of goals – 34 – but it is disheartening to learn that they have only scored five goals in the last five games!
The goal scoring dependence syndrome has spilled over to Vipers who without talisman Sserunkuma look like headless chicken.
Little is delivered by Erisa Ssekisambu, Milton Karisa, Mujadin Baden, Steven Mukwala, Pius wanji and Clovis Mbayi yet Tony Odur has long been booted out of Miguel Da Costa’s plans.
Express has a sigh of relief
Out of the bottom three for the first time in as many games, Express, the only side in the Uganda Premier League never to have faced relegation, is daring to dream of safety.
Two wins in the last two games matches has given them tonic boost ahead of the remaining six league games against URA, Maroons, Masavu, Villa, KCCA and Vipers.
Mbarara City have been drawn back in the fight to escape the red zone and Express can move further up with another unassailable win.
Express and Proline gave their survival hopes a chance as they saw off UPDF and Police 2-0 and 3-1 respectively but the axes still menacingly hovers over their necks.
Michael Birungi and Zimula Jalilu first half goals at Wankulukuku lifted Express two places out of relegation to 12th on 25 points, bettering UPDF on goal difference.
