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Kagimu helps Ssimbwa exact revenge on KCCA
Make Hay. Kagimu pounces on a loose ball to score URA’s opener. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
- Soccer. But despite KCCA going down for the first time at their home turf, Vipers still stayed three points behind after they shared spoils with Onduparaka.
KAMPALA. The StarTimes Uganda Premier League (UPL) race is on.
It is getting hotter and as KCCA can attest after yesterday’s 2-1 home loss to rivals URA – their first defeat at home this season, more upsets are on the way. KCCA had shown signs of imploding in the last five league matches and the URA loss yesterday in the StarTimes Uganda premier League was a result that imminent.
Sam Ssimbwa’s side bossed the first half and got a deserved lead through a Shafik Kagimu cool finish after KCCA defence failed to clear the ball on 25 minutes.
If there is anything URA learnt from the earlier 1-0 loss to KCCA at Namboole, it was governing the midfield - and Kagimu, Said Kyeyune, Joachim Ojera and Moses Sseruyidde excelled at that by stretching the trio of Nicholas Kasozi, Allan Okello and Jackson Nunda.
KCCA tried to fight back through Timothy Awany penalty when Muzamir Mutyaba was fouled on 61 minutes but the tax collectors had the last laugh when Kagimu stepped up to bury home the penalty accrued when the lively Ojera was brought down my Mustapha Kizza on 80 minutes.
“We didn’t play with belief in the first half. The players weren’t assured with what they were doing,” KCCA manager Mike Mutebi admitted.
“We are concerned with the results lately but nobody is pressing the panic button yet,” he added.
Luckily for KCCA, Vipers could only slice one point off their lead when they fired blanks against Onduparaka at the Green Light Stadium.
“It was our day and the match was won in preparation. We have always been blamed for not scoring but now we have started which means we can get our targets,” URA deputy coach George William Lutalo told Daily Monitor.
With nine games left, KCCA lead the log with three points and Mutebi admits that pressure is gradually piling.
“Our players are playing under pressure because of the high expectations but I will get that out of them. It is not only Vipers after us now but also URA,” he revealed.
KCCA have a daunting fixture that has them face city arch-rivals SC Villa on Saturday and unpredictable Tooro United on Wednesday at Buhinga lined up next.
It was all joy for Express diehards in Ndejje as Mubaraka Nsubuga scored in the 77th minute to grant coach George Ssimwogerere his second league win. Maroons’ 3-0 humbling of basement boys Paidha and Jinja SSS 2-1 win triumph over Mbarara City illuminated the goal laden afternoon and moved them closer to safety.
