Bul stroll through URA’s tax machine
That relief... Vipers talisman Yunus Sentamu and other Venoms will step into the St Mary’s silicon with less pressure after URA failed to take their chance to close the gap in the title race. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
Advantage Venoms. Leaders Vipers host beleaguered Mbarara City in what could turn the title race into a final stroll should KCCA fail to leave Bombo Barracks with maximum points.
URA’s title pretences was just that inside the Kyabazinga Stadium in Jinja City yesterday as edible oil manufacturers Bul proved too slippery for their grasp.
The Tax Collectors arrived in Bugembe with lofty dreams of squeezing to within three points of leaders Vipers in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League table, but they appeared to have carried faulty tax machines that Richard Wandyaka effortlessly exploited with a brace for Bul.
Wandyaka first sneaked through a despairing URA defence just after the half-hour mark after Benjamin Nyakoojo and Najib Fesali had failed to communicate while marking Karim Ndugwa – to fire home.
He then doubled the tax returns on URA nine minutes into the second half to leave the inconsistent Tax Collectors on 43 points, six adrift of leaders Vipers despite having played three games more.
Where victory would have put Vipers under a bit of pressure away in Mbarara today, the Venoms might as well count the title in the bag although Roberto Oliveira will be wary of playing a relegation-threatenedside even at their St Mary’s Stadium fortress.
“We haven’t been consistent of late but it doesn’t mean we’re out of the title race. There was fatigue that has cost us but we’re going to improve in the remaining games,” URA assistant coach Robert Mukasa said.
“We planned well but the players didn’t execute the tactics very well.”
Bul remain fourth with 41 points.
Byekwaso returns
It is squeaky bum time for KCCA, who are yet to win a match in the last four outings as Kasasiro fans grumble but with the return of Morley Byekwaso from sick leave, theyu could see a glimmer of hope.
“We are fully focused on getting results. We need to win games and we know we’ve a problem of not tucking away chances that we create,” Byekwaso told Daily Monitor.
“We’ve tried to work on that during the international break and we’ve the confidence that we will get the results.”
Besides their gaffer, KCCA, who won the reverse fixture 2-1 at Lugogo, also welcome back defender Peter Magambo, midfielder Yassar Mugerwa and striker Charles Lwanga for the must-win tie but will be without Patrick Kaddu, Julius Poloto, Kizza Bukenya and Gift Ali.
Relieved souls
Brian Ssenyondo’s UPDF had gone over 10 matches without sniffing victory until they mauled Gaddafi 3-1 in their last outing away in Jinja.
“Winning at last made all of us at the club happy. Hopefully, we keep the fighting spirit and that mentality in our next match against KCCA. Of course, it is a game we come into to fight for everything. There is still a lot to be fought for,” Ssenyondo said.
Ssenyondo has refused to read into KCCA’s anticipated ‘rustiness’ having last played a match on Match 15, in the 1-all draw with Police.
UPDF are ninth on the log but remain in an unusually crowded relegation thicket as their 27 points from 23 matches is just seven to the good of Soltilo Bright Stars in the final drop zone.
A victory for KCCA will see the Kasasiro Boys leapfrog URA back into second where they were before Byekwaso disappeared from their technical area.
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