StarTimes Uganda Premier League
Tuesday Results
*Vipers 1-0 Arua Hill
*Bright Stars 2-1 Onduparaka
*Maroons 1-3 Blacks Power
Vipers SC captain Milton Karisa was the difference as the StarTimes Uganda Premier League champions picked their first successive victory of the season.
The Venoms edged Arua Hill 1-0 at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende on Tuesday, their second successive score line following their victory away to Blacks Power at the weekend.
It was a huge win for the Venoms as it lifted them five places up on the 15-team table to fifth on 11 points from six matches.
They now trail joint leaders BUL and Wakiso Giants by only three points, with that latter duo having played one match more.
For Arua Hill, who were unbeaten in their first three matches, this was their second successive 1-0 defeat, their previous one coming against URA last week.
It drops the Kongolo to seventh on 10 points from six games.
At Kitende, Vipers started the with gusto and intent with strikers Yunus Sentamu and Cromwell Rwothomio missing two chances inside 15 minutes.
Their pressure paid off on 19 minutes when Vipers midfielder Bright Anukani threaded a through ball for Karisa to slot home past Arua Hill goalkeeper Richard Anyama.
The only concern in Vipers victory was their defender Ashraf Mandela being rushed to hospital after an aerial collision with Arua Hill forward Rashid Kawawa.
Vipers later posted on their Twitter account that the player had been stabilized.
Vipers next host the UPDF on Friday and Arua Hill welcome SC Villa to the Barifa on Saturday.
Else where, Blacks Power switched off Maroons lights as the Lira side thrashed the warders 3-1 for the latter’s first ever win in the 2022/23 season.
Dickens Okwi, Mike Siwu and Simon Otto scored for the visitors at the Luzira Prisons Ground while Solomon Walusimbi got Maroons consolation.
Blacks Power’s first win in eight top flight football moves them to five points but they remain second from bottom.
In succumbing to their third defeat in seven matches, Maroons – who were losing against a fellow promoted side – stay 10th on eight points.
The hosts, Maroons, went behind as early as the seventh minute, thanks to Okwi’s goal but they were soon level on 14 minutes when Walusimbi struck.
However, that did not stop Blacks Power’s momentum, the Lira side winning a penalty and danger man Siwu converting it after the half hour.
Blacks Power, who also had Pilsner Man of the Match Emmanuel Odongkara to thank for in goal, now had Maroons by the ropes and wanted to hang them straight up.
They did exactly that, Otto sending it to half time 3-1 up. The score line never changed.
Also, Soltilo Bright Stars finally picked their first win of the season at the eighth time of asking.
They beat bottom side Onduparaka 2-1 at Kavumba Recreation Ground for coach Asaph Mwebaze to taste his first three points since joining during the off-season.
Innocent Kitimbo and creator of the first, Nelson Senkatuka, scored for the victors while Dominic Abonga’s first half ferocious drive could only pass for a consolation for Onduparaka.
Bright Stars had drawn five and lost two coming into this tie and Mwebaze’s side were desperate for their first win.
The intent was shown quite early, Senkatuka setting up Kitimbo to score in the very first minute of the game.
The equalizer for Onduparaka was worth the moment, Abonga loading a powerful drive from distance to draw the guests level on 23 minutes.
But Senkatuka later claimed all points for the home side on 62 minutes to move them to 11th place on the table on eight points from as many games.
As for winless Onduparaka, they simply can’t catch a breath.
They remain bottom of the 15-team table with just one point from seven matches
*Credit: UPL media.
