Uganda Cup
- Kitara 0-1 Vipers | Agg: 0-2
Under the fading glow of evening skies at Butema Royal Park, Vipers SC pierced through Kitara’s stubborn defence to secure a 1-0 triumph that books their place in the 2024–25 Stanbic Uganda Cup final.
The solitary, yet decisive moment arrived when midfield maestro Abdul-Karim Watambala curled home a sumptuous strike just past the hour mark, sending the home Venoms faithful into rapture.
Though the second leg’s scoreline might suggest a straightforward passage, Vipers’ journey was anything but clinical
Three days prior, they had clinched their seventh Uganda Premier League title in comprehensive fashion, beating Kitara 2-0 and lifting the championship crown for the first time since 2018–19.
Yet in the Cup’s first semifinal leg at St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, it was Yūnus Sentamu’s last-gasp strike that edged the aggregate in Vipers’ favour, cancelling out Kitara’s early dominance and setting the stage for a nervy return fixture.
On Saturday night, Kitara endeavoured to avenge their Premier League defeat, deploying a compact 4-5-1 aimed at smothering Vipers’ fluid attack.
For much of the 90 minutes, they succeeded, until Watambala, drifting between the lines, picked out space 25 yards from goal. His low, left-footed drive evaded the outstretched fingers of goalkeeper Crispus Kusiima, nestling in the bottom corner and shattering Kitara’s hopes.
Despite late pressure, Vipers held firm, their backline marshalled astutely by captain Allan Okello, to preserve the aggregate 2-0 advantage.
This will be Vipers’ fourth Uganda Cup final in the past decade, having lifted the trophy in 2015–16, 2019–20, and 2022–23.
Their opponents, however, remain undecided, a tussle between Mbale’s underdogs Kataka FC and perennial finalists KCCA FC.
The second semifinal’s first leg saw KCCA romp to a 3-0 home victory at Lugogo’s MTN Omondi Stadium, and the return is set for Mbale City Stadium on Sunday, May 18.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 31, when floodlights will blaze at the newly constructed Kadiba Stadium for what promises to be a fitting finale.
