2025/26 Uganda Premier League
- Vipers SC 1-1 SC Villa
SC Villa climbed joint top of the Uganda Premier League with KCCA after a hard earned 1–1 draw with Vipers SC in lively rescheduled tie under the Kitende floodlights on Saturday night.
The match initially set for matchday one but postponed due to Vipers’ CAF Champions League preliminaries, carried all the tension expected of two in form giants.
Vipers arrived with four straight wins, Villa came in on a five game streak. In the end, the points were shared, and the table shifted.
Referee Shamirah Nabadda, fresh from being named CAF Female Referee of the Year and newly listed for AFCON 2025, oversaw a fast start. Vipers in red and black, Villa in white, traded early chances.
Yunus Sentamu had St Mary’s on its feet with an early finish, but the flag cut the cheers. Villa responded through Hassan Mubiru, who delayed at the crucial moment and saw his effort blocked.
Villa keeper David Lukwago stood firm, denying Karim Watambala and keeping his defence organised as Vipers pressed.
Mubiru later beat Hillary Mukundane out wide but found no teammate for the finish. The half tightened from there, tempers rose, and Nabadda stepped in to separate Sentamu and David Owori.
Bookings followed for Ibrahim Kasinde, Mubiru and Usama Arafat as the sides went into the break at 0–0.
Villa returned sharper. Frank Ssebuufu replaced Mubiru and made an impact, heading in Kato Ssemayange’s pinpoint cross in the 67th minute to give Villa the lead.
Vipers responded five minutes later. Allan Okello drifted into space and squared for Arafat, who tapped in to level the match and lift the home crowd. Okello nearly won it in the 85th minute, bending a shot inches wide, but Villa held on.
Sula Matovu, unused on the bench, was sent off late for dissent, but it came too late to tilt the result.
The draw ended Vipers’ perfect start and pushed Villa to 17 points, joint top with KCCA, who lead only on head to head. Vipers sit fourth on 13, level with Kitara and UPPC but with games in hand.
Vipers coach Ivan Minnaert admitted his team struggled.
“Not the result we wanted,” he said.
“We weren’t fresh after the Express game. The players had few days to recover. We could have done better.”
Villa coach Nikola Kovacevic was satisfied.
“A draw is a good result,” he said.
“The goal we conceded was avoidable, but Baraza wasn’t on the pitch at that moment.”
On their next outings, Vipers host UPDF on December 2, while SC Villa visit Maroons on December 6.
