The ongoing Matchday 4 of the 2024/25 Uganda Premier League season is turning out to be a miserable one for the new school challengers.
It all started on Wednesday with Mbarara City FC recording a 2-0 win over still winless BUL FC in Lugazi to earn a first UPL away win since 2021.
Livingstone Mbabazi’s men took the lead in the 39th minute,when in form striker Seiri Arigumaho continued his barnstorming start to the season with a scuffed finish following a goalmouth scramble.
The Ankole Lions advanced play with speed and numbers and a looping cross was only half cleared by the BUL defence.The ball fell kindly for Arigumaho,whose attempt at a lay off in the crowded box came to nothing,but returned the ball to him.He turned and fired in with aplomb to give the visitors a half time lead.
After the restart,BUL tried to up the ante in a bid to find a way back into the game but grappled with a rock solid Mbarara defence.Only for Mbarara to sucker punch them with second goal fifteen minutes into the second half,against the run of play.
A quick counter attack started by Arigumaho’s backpass released Latif Ssenkubuge streaking away into space down the left.Ssenkubuge evaded Najib Fesali’s sliding tackle to get into the box and chip a teasing ball for Arigumaho to complete his brace and take his tally for the season to four.
BUL’s fellow new school title hopefuls Kitara FC then endured their own upset,succumbing to a 1-0 reverse to newly promoted Police FC.
Kitara very nearly took the lead as early as the fifth minute but Jude Ssemugabi’s ferocious shot from outside the box was kept out impressively by Police goalkeeper Edward Kasibante.
Police then took an improbable lead through Gadaffi Kacancu’s 29th minute strike.Isaac Ogwang’s fierce free kick could only be parried by Jamil Kiyimba,and the ball bounced perfectly for the unmarked Kacancu to fire a fantastic volley into the roof of the net.
Police thought they had doubled their lead just five minutes later,after Brian James Obedi scrambled in Ogwang’s cut back from the right wing.The assistant referee immediately raised the offside flag,but replays showed that Obedi had been onside.
The hosts were unable to take advantage of their good fortune,failing to find a route back into the game and falling to a third defeat in a row.
Kitara’s opposition in last season’s Uganda Cup final NEC were next in line for the guillotine,suffering a 2-1 defeat away to a resurgent Express FC at Hamz Stadium Nakivubo.
2023 University League MVP Geoffrey Gagganga broke the deadlock in the fifth minute,pouncing on a defensive error to curl a precise finish into the bottom corner from outside the box.
The Red Eagles doubled their lead in double quick time just four minutes after the opener,Ronald Mawa tapping in from close range after good work from new signing Richard Basangwa.
The Uganda Cranes striker expertly controlled Joseph Zziwa’s long throw,turned his marker,beat another defender and squared for Mawa to poke home.
Cromwell Rwothomio pulled one back for second placed NEC just after the hour mark,stopping on a dime to lose the defenders pressing him before guiding a shot past Kagiri in the Express goal.
But the comeback NEC would have been hoping for did not materialise,in spite of putting the Red Eagles’ defence under intense pressure,culminating into a disappointing first loss of the season for Hussein Mbalangu’s men.
Action continues today with Mbale Heroes FC hosting URA FC,before a blockbuster clash between Vipers SC and SC Villa in Kitende.
