Azam Uganda Premier League
Wednesday, 11-04-2017
Express 1-0 Mbarara City
Bul 1-1 Vipers
Bright Stars 2-2 Soana
SC Villa 1-0 Police
Masavu 1-1 Proline
URA 2-0 Kirinya
The Azam Uganda premier league continued last evening as 12 of the 16 teams in the league did battle across six stadiums.
At Wankuluku, sleeping giants Express FC required an acrobatic second half strike to win 1-0 against fellow relegation threatened side Mbarara City on a pitch deemed by many as unplayable due to the playing surface which was destroyed by a recent PEWOSA trade expo.
Substitute David Ndihabwe was the hero on the day as he expertly directed Jalil Zambali ball into the roof of the net over goalkeeper Ali Kimera.
Before the goal, Express had missed a penalty after a Mbarara defender handled the ball in the area but Joseph Semujju failed to convert the resulting kick as his weak effort was comfortably saved by Kimera.
Minutes after the penalty, Mbarara failed to take care of business with two back to back chances when both Abdul Kareem Kasule and Maqueth Wol failed to beat Godwin Buule from close range.
Mbarara squandered several opportunities throughout the game and will only have themselves to blame for not leaving Wankuluku with at least a point.
Express remained 14th but something to smile about is that they have closed the gap between them and Mbarara to just a sinle point. The Ankole lions are 13th on the log remain with just 23 points with seven games to go.
In Masaka, leaders SC Villa ensured that they matched closer to the league title as they defeated Police FC 1-0.
The sole goal was scored by star player Martin Kizza and the result propelled Villa, who last won the league in 2004, to 49 points, six ahead of both KCCA and Vipers.
Viper themselves where in action on the same day but could only manage a 0-0 draw with Bul FC at the Kakindu Municipal grounds in Jinja.
The game was mired by controversy at the start as Vipers failed to produce licences for their players during the mandatory inspection by the officials but the home side accepted to play after a photo of the entire Venoms’ match day squad was taken.
At Namboole, home side URA scored a goal in each half to defeat fourth placed Kirinya JSS 2-0.
This was URA’s first league win over the Jinja based side after failing in all of their first three previous attempts. Charles Ssempa and Hood Mulikya we’re the heros for the Tax collectors who now move to 8th on the log.
The relegation three-pointer between Masavu and Proline ended all square as each team found the net once.
Proline raced into an early lead on 13 minutes as midfielder Gift Ali scored a brilliant 30 yards free kick but former Lweza forward Aurther Ssemazi restored purity for the home side seven minutes to the end with his second goal of the season.
The final game of the day saw Bright Star play out a thrilling 2-2 draw with Soana.
Henry Kiwanuka gave the home team the lead but was quickly cancelled out by Siraje Turyamuhobwe. Bright Stars captain Nelson Ssenkatuka restored the home side’s lead but Mike Kawoya cancelled it out again.
Action resumes with on Wednesday with two time league defending champions KCCA away to in-form Maroons FC at the Luzira Prisons Grounds.