Uche Ikpeazu Mubiru didn’t take long to make his mark at Ross County. Fourteen minutes were enough.
Introduced in the heat of a relegation fight on Tuesday night, the Uganda Cranes striker came off the bench, rose highest at a corner and powered home the winner in a priceless 1–0 away victory over Queen’s Park.
It was the kind of debut every striker dreams of, but for Mubiru, the result mattered more than the moment.
“Yes, it’s amazing,” he said after full-time. “As a striker you love scoring, but the most important thing is the three points.”
Those points meant everything. Ross County began the night bottom of the table but climbed a place to 22 points, still in the relegation zone yet suddenly breathing again.
In a true six pointer, Mubiru’s header from Alex Iacovitti’s corner turned tension into belief.
The goal capped a whirlwind few days. Mubiru only completed his deadline day move from St Johnstone on Monday.
By Tuesday, he was on the bench and thrown on in the 65th minute to replace Jordan White. Fourteen minutes later, he was the difference.
Still, the forward was quick to shift the focus away from himself.
“I’m happy with the team performance and my own, but I’m just a small piece of the jigsaw,” he said. “The gaffer’s come in and picked up decent results. We’re building momentum. The goal was nice, but it was a team effort.”
For Mubiru, the move was about more than football logistics, it was about feeling trusted again.
“Football is a very ruthless game,” he admitted. “I was told I was going to stay somewhere, but I knew for my career I needed to play. Ross County really wanted me here.”
“To feel wanted and appreciated, that’s the most important thing,” he added. “I made the right decision because I needed football.”
Despite their league position, Mubiru believes Ross County have more than enough quality to survive.
“I scored today, but even if it’s holding the ball up or giving teammates confidence, on and off the pitch, that’s my role,” he said. “It was a massive win.”
His confidence is backed by numbers, not noise.
“I’ve barely played this season, probably not even 600 minutes,” Mubiru noted. “But for club and country I’ve scored seven goals. I know where to be in the box. If I stay fit and get chances, I believe I can help this team.”
For Ross County, that belief could prove vital. For Uganda, it’s a reassuring sign that one of the Cranes’ trusted forwards is finding rhythm again.
“It’s a big club with good players,” Mubiru said. “We just need to reach our potential. It’s not about me, it’s about everyone.”
One goal, One win and a sense of belonging restored.
