Uganda Cup Quarterfinal
- Vipers 1-0 SC Villa
On an electric Easter Monday night under the floodlights of St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, Vipers SC captain Milton Karisa rose to the occasion quite literally to become the hero in a tense clash that sent rivals SC Villa packing from the 2024/25 Stanbic Uganda Cup.
The storyline was one of patience, grit and a perfectly timed moment of brilliance. With the quarterfinal stages balancing on a knife’s edge and all other ties already pushing teams to their limits, Vipers SC did not wait for luck. They seized the moment and that moment belonged to Karisa.
Introduced at the start of the second half, the skipper brought renewed energy and urgency to a match that, until then had remained tightly contested.
Both sides had played with caution and intent, canceling each other out with equal strength and discipline as the clock ticked toward a possible penalty shootout; the tension in the stands and on the pitch was almost tangible.
Then came the breakthrough. With just two minutes left to play, Abdul Karim Watambala let fly a stinging shot toward goal. SC Villa’s goalkeeper, Jean Braddy Wokorach failed to handle it cleanly and that one moment of indecision was all Karisa needed.
Reacting quicker than the defenders around him, Karisa lunged forward and met the loose ball with a sharp header that nestled into the back of the net.
A cue of the eruption was sighted in the Vipers fans who had held their breath for nearly the full 90 minutes, bursting into wild celebrations.
The stands came alive with chants, horns and flags waving furiously. On the pitch, Karisa was mobbed by teammates as the Jogoos slumped in disbelief. There was no coming back from that. The timing was perfect for Vipers, and cruel for SC Villa.
As the final whistle sounded, it was the Vipers who stood tall their semifinal spot secured and their dreams of cup glory still alive.
They now join holders Kitara and KCCA in the last four. The final quarterfinal between Police FC and FUFA Big League’s Kataka FC will determine the last piece of the semifinal puzzle on Tuesday, April 22.
