By Frank Kamuntu
Saturday, May 27
•Vipers 5-0 Busoga United
•SC Villa 0-1 URA
•KCCA 5-0 Bright Stars
Top 3
- Vipers – 53
- KCCA – 53
- SC Villa 52
Vipers are the 2022/23 Uganda Premier League champions after a dramatic last day of the season.
The Venoms beat Busoga United 5-0 while SC Villa who needed a win to be crowned champions, were beaten at home by URA FC.
Villa who started the much anticipated day on top, finish the season in third place after KCCA beat beat Bright Stars 5-0.
Vipers win the title on goal difference after leveling on points with KCCA.
Abubakar Lawal scored a double while a goal each from Yunus Sentamu, Martin Kizza and Bright Anukani sealed a historical victory for Vipers.
Rogers Mato scored four and Charles Lwanga added another but Jackson Mayanja’s side could only finish second on the log.
It was a celebratory mood earlier at Wankulukuku as Villa fans anticipated a triumphant day.
Very founded, unlike Vipers and KCCA, the Jogoos needed nothing but a win to seal the title but after a goalless first half against URA, pressure started to mount at Wankulukuku and the big moment arrived when Najib Fessali was at the end of Saidi Kyeyune’s freekick to plant a header into the back of the net after the hour-mark.
Villa huffed and puffed from there after, but couldn’t get a goal and before the final whistle, a couple of Villa fans that had thronged Wankulukuku, had already found their way out. The Club’s wait for a league title since 2004 continue for another season.
Vipers Shift Focus On Double
Vipers looked to have lost this league title the previous match-day after drawing 1-1 with BUL FC and they started the d-day in second place, needing not only to win, but also hope that URA deny SC Villa maximum points.
Everything went Vipers way. They were not under any pressure when Abubakar Lawal scored as early the 15th minute and the rest is history.
It has been a bumpy season for the Venoms who made their debut in the CAF Champions League.
They started with Roberto Oliveira as as head coach, who was then replaced by Beto Bianchi midway this season
And after a barren spell, Bianchi was shown an exit door, and then a local coach in Alex Isabirye was brought in.
The Venoms after sealing the league title, sixth in the Club history, have focus on winning a double this season.
They are in the Cup semis against Bright Stars, with a foot in the final already having won the first leg 4-0 at Kitende.
The UPL title come with a ticket to CAF Champions League, and Vipers will hope for nothing but more better days ahead.
Credit: The Sports Nation
