Uganda Premier League | Friday | MD 23
- Express 2-2 Vipers
- Lugazi FC 2-2 UPDF FC
The Uganda Premier League title race took a thrilling turn on Friday evening as Vipers SC staged a second-half comeback to earn a 2-2 draw against Express FC at the Hamz Stadium in Nakivubo thanks to a late equalizer from substitute Gusto Mulongo.
With NEC FC having edged Kitara FC the previous day to close within a point of Vipers, the pressure was firmly on the Venoms to respond and restore their four-point advantage. However, Express FC, battling internal woes including a reported six-month salary drought, had other ideas.
Driven by a promise of a ten-million-shilling incentive from their fans, Express came out firing. Captain Emmanuel Wasswa led by example, scoring twice in the first half to stun the table leaders.
His first came in the 15th minute, nodding in a rebound off the crossbar after a quick break started by Daniel Shabene and finished with flair by Muhammad Senoga Kagawa.
The second was pure brilliance, a curled finish into the top corner in the 27th minute that left goalkeeper Alfred Mudekereza with no chance.
But Vipers responded with renewed intensity after the break. Allan Okello halved the deficit in the 52nd minute, finishing sharply after a pinpoint cross from Pedro Sukuya.
Express nearly restored their cushion, but Mudekereza kept Vipers in the game with a double save in the 70th minute.
With the clock winding down, the champions found their hero. In the final minutes of added time, Karim Watambala launched a long ball that found the returning Milton Karisa who set up Gusto Mulongo at the far post for a simple tap-in to snatch a vital point.
The draw leaves Vipers SC top of the table on 53 points, just two ahead of NEC FC who they will host in a high-stakes clash next Thursday in Kitende. With seven games left, the race for the title promises to go down to the wire.
Elsewhere in Najjembe, Lugazi drew 2-2 with UPDF in a four-goal thriller.
Match day 23 of the Uganda Premier League will continue tomorrow on Saturday, April 12, as Jackson Magera leads his KCCA charges host BUL in Lugogo at 7 PM.
