Magical Mugume elated after punishing Vipers

In the dying seconds of a nail-biting clash, KCCA’s Ashraf Mugume left tongues wagging and fans spellbound at St Mary's Stadium-Kitende on Saturday. 

His gravity-defying overhead kick, a masterstroke that bent the ball into the top corner, silenced the Vipers' defence, who could only stand frozen in awe.

With his stunning equalizer canceling out Milton Karisa’s earlier header for the Venoms, KCCA walked away with a crucial 1-1 draw, retaining their spot atop the table with 18 points from eight matches, just one point ahead of second-placed Vipers.

After celebrating his iconic strike by kissing the KCCA crest, Mugume shared his elation, relishing the sweet satisfaction of delivering the blow to the very club that once cast him aside. 

For Mugume, this breathtaking goal was no fluke; he revealed that he regularly performs such acrobatic strikes in training.

“These are moments I prepare for,” he said confidently, “and it’s satisfying to see it pay off, especially against a club that let me go.”

Work of art

“I had already scanned the gap between me and the defenders by the time Joel Sserunjogi's looping pass reached me," Mugume revealed.

 "We have a good combination with Sserunjogi, so when the chance came, I decided to try out what we do in training—come what may.”

Mugume knew he had rescued KCCA from the jaws of defeat and preserved their unbeaten streak when he saw the dugout erupt in a frenzy.

The sight of his teammates and staff roaring in celebration was matched only by the embrace from coach Abdallah Mubiru, who offered him a warm hug, acknowledging the midfielder’s heroic impact in the game’s final moments.

“I felt happy, like anyone would after scoring a last-minute goal that earns us a point and keeps our unbeaten record intact,” Mugume remarked. “I don’t care about what Vipers felt because my focus is on my team—this is who I play for.”

Still not safe

Despite scoring crucial goals against Bul, Maroons, and now Vipers, Mugume has yet to cement his place in the starting lineup, with Saidi Mayanja and Bright Anukani often preferred.

However, he remains unfazed, focusing instead on supporting the club whenever he’s called upon. 

“About the starting role, it’s not my duty,” Mugume explained. “My duty is to keep training harder and staying positive because, at KCCA, we’re all equal players. No matter who starts, we are all on the same level.”

Mugume believes KCCA’s commanding performance at the St. Mary’s Stadium-Kitende showcased their fierce determination to end the club’s long five-year wait for the league trophy. 

He is confident that the display provided the perfect morale boost heading into the high-stakes Lugogo derby against third placed Nec after the international break. 

On a personal level, Mugume is aiming to surpass last season’s tally of seven goals and four assists and has set his sights on joining his fellow KCCA midfielder, Saidi Mayanja, in the Uganda Cranes lineup soon.

A classic served

The match lived up to expectations, with both  Mubiru and Vipers’ interim coach John ‘Ayala’ Luyinda showcasing an exciting brand of football that left fans thoroughly satisfied—despite the final 1-1 scoreline. Each goal was a spectacle in its own right. 

Vipers struck first just before halftime, when left-back Derrick Ndahiro delivered a flawless cross that Milton Karisa met with a powerful header, leaving KCCA’s goalkeeper Mutwalib Mugolofa stunned. 

Mugume’s equalizer was equally sensational, as he expertly controlled the ball on his chest with his back to goal before soaring like a Phoenix to send a curling shot into the net, leaving Vipers’ goalkeeper Denis Kiggundu in visible disbelief and on the verge of tears.

Mixed fortunes

In an earlier match on Friday at Kavumba, interim coach Ian Mutenda guided Soltilo Bright Stars to their first victory of the season with a 1-0 win over struggling Kitara, thanks to a goal from Nelson Ssenkatuka.

Later that day, forward Joseph Zziwa scored the decisive goal as Express edged past Morley Byekwaso's underperforming SC Villa 1-0 at Nakivubo. 

The victory lifted Express six places to fourth on 12 points, one ahead of Villa, who had come into the fiery clash following a dominant 5-0 win over UPDF.

The StarTimes Uganda Premier League defending champions, Villa, dropped two places to seventh.

Meanwhile, at Luzira Grounds on Saturday, URA's downward spiral under coach Alex Isabirye hit a new low as they suffered a 2-1 loss to Muhammad Ssenfuma's Maroons.

StarTimes Uganda Premier League

Results 
Maroons 2-1 URA

Vipers 1-1 KCCA

Soltilo Bright Stars 1-0 Kitara

Express 1-0 SC Villa