Uganda Premier League
Friday result
Vipers SC 1-0 KCCA
StarTimes Uganda Premier League (UPL) defending champions, Vipers SC, edged 10-man KCCA 1-0 at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende on Friday to leapfrog their crosstown rivals into second place on the table.
Vipers captain Milton Karisa scored the only goal of the match with a minute of normal time to play as the game looked headed for a draw.
It was a heavily charged match under the floodlights that also saw KCCA striker Tshisungu Kankonde see red after the final whistle had gone.
The visitors’ manager, Jackson Mayanja, was also booked for an altercation with a match official during the match.
With KCCA thrashing Villa a fortnight ago, then Villa recovering to beat Vipers, and now the Venoms edging KCCA; the three title rivals – who by the way also further dropped points in between – seem unsure of who wants it more.
Movement amongst the top three has been almost stagnant, with Villa hardly adding points. Yet, the Jogoos remain at the top.
It is until this Friday that there has been some shift of positions, with Vipers victory over KCCA seeing the two exchange places.
Villa, who have played two more games than Vipers and one ahead of KCCA, stay top on 46 points after 25 matches.
Vipers have now equalled KCCA on 13 wins and 45 points, but the Venoms leapfrog the Kasasiro Boys into second because of a superior goal difference.
This was also Mayanja’s first loss in four matches since replacing Morley Byekwaso as interim manager last month.
It was a hotly contested match at Kitende where KCCA’s Allan Okello had his effort kiss the post and both sets of players involved in several brawls, earning a number of bookings in the process.
Pilsner Man of the Match, Karisa, later settled the contest with a minute to play.
But there was more drama after the final whistle had gone.
KCCA goalkeeping coach Moses Oloya was involved in another altercation with one of the security personnel as players and officials walked down the tunnel.
Then a melee ensued, and Kankonde lashed out at the referee.
The striker, who was earlier booked during the game, was restrained by KCCA goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan but he could not escape the referee’s inevitable red card.
*Credit: UPL media.
