StarTimes Uganda premier league
Brian Kalumba came off the bench and put up splendid performance as Vipers SC beat Express FC 3-0 on October 12 in the StarTimes Uganda premier league at the St Mary’s stadium, Kitende.
The 21-year old opened his goal account at the Venoms scoring the third to add on the earlier Fahad Bayo brace. Kalumba, who came on for unimpressive Dan Sserunkuma in the 54th minute set up Fahad Bayo for his second in the 72nd minute after the striker had opened the scoring in the 9th minute.
Bayo then turned provider as he released Kalumba with a defense splitting through ball for the third and the striker’s first goal at the Kitende side. Kalumba made his topflight debut in 2018 still against Express, replacing Erisa Ssekisambu in a match Vipers SC comfortably won 5-0 under Portuguese Jorge Miguel Da Costa.
He has however struggled to make it to the stating XI since joining the three-time champions at the end of last season. “I have faced a number of challenges but I am grateful to God. At the start of the year, someone asked me why I was still at Kitende but I am glad these questions are beginning to be answered,” Kalumba told the club website.
The striker has now made six appearances for the Venoms –with three of those coming this season against SC Villa, Police and Express respectively. He also featured twice and once under Javier Martinez Espinoza and Da Costa’s reigns respectively.
“The competition has always been tight from the time I joined. There are gifted players and it was never going to be that easy task for me to make quick in-roads,” explained Kalumba.
The former St Mary’s SS, Kitende (SMASK) player –which Vipers SC junior side, is optimistic he can achieve more this season with hard work and growing confidence.
Vipers (20 points) leapfrogged BUL )19) from the summit after a 2-1 home lead against the latter on Tuesday at Kitende in a game that Kalumba came in from the bench in the 59th minute replacing off-color Dan Sserunkuma.
