Prime
Vipers inch closer to title after brushing aside URA
Congolese import Caesar Manzoki then doubled Vipers advantage 10 minutes later with a penalty after strike partner Yunus Sentamu was needlessly hacked down by URA defender Hood Mulikyi. PHOTOS/BATANUDDE JOHN
What you need to know:
The result helped Vipers move to 55 points and opened a nine-point advantage over second placed KCCA and with seven games left can now even afford to lose when the two teams face off on Saturday
It will now take a collapse of gigantic proportions for Vipers not to be crowned this season's Startimes Uganda Premier League winners.
But at the moment they are coasting to a fifth league title following their commanding 3-0 away victory over third placed URA at the Arena of Visions in Ndejje yesterday.
The result helped Vipers move to 55 points and opened a nine-point advantage over second placed KCCA and with seven games left can now even afford to lose when the two teams face off on Saturday.
But on the basis of yesterday's display they are unlikely to be in a compromising mood having authoritatively dispatched URA.
Captain Halid Lwalirwa forced home the opening goal on 26 minutes after a scramble from a corner kick.
Congolese import Caesar Manzoki then doubled Vipers advantage 10 minutes later with a penalty after strike partner Yunus Sentamu was needlessly hacked down by URA defender Hood Mulikyi.
The URA defender then allowed Sentamu to get ahead of him as run onto Milton Karisa's flicked header just after the hour mark.
URA, having never been allowed to settle into the flowing patterns, were second best for the majority of the game in a result that leaves them in third position 12 points behind their opponents and having played two games more.
In Jinja, UPDF boosted their survival hopes after holding on to beat Busoga United 2-0 at Kakindu stadium.
The Busoga side looked the better side upto the 54th minute when coach Abbey Kikomeko withdrew midfield duo Laban Tibiita and Elvis Ng'onde for Isaac Wagoina and Anthony Mayanja.
The gap was evident as the soldiers strolled through the hosts midfielder freely and were up at the hour mark when Rogers Adriko belted in a long range rebound to give the visitors the lead. Busoga pushed harder for a goal but their strikers failed to make the chances count before Ibrahim Wamannah sealed the result from a corner kick with two minutes left to play.
"It is very hard to pick points ilfrom a team that attacks and plays well like Busoga but at least we won and moved near to safety," UPDF's Brian Ssenyondo, whose team now hits the 30-point mark, said of the win.
"We made substitutions and thought they would work but unfortunately, they were worse than the ones they replaced," a disappointed Busoga United's assistant coach Fred Lumu whined. The Jinja side remains 11th with 26 points, four aboulve the red line.
Police were pulled closer to that red line after suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Mbarara City in Kakyeka. The result leaves the Cops on 24 points, two ahead of their day's opponents.
STARTIMES UGANDA PREMIER LEAGUE
Results
URA 0-3 Vipers
Mbarara City 3-0 Police
Busoga United 0-2 UPDF
Wednesday fixtures -4pm
Wakiso Giants vs. Express
Tooro United vs. Soltilo Bright Stars
