Kelvin Barni’s sole goal gave us all three points against a hard-to-break BUL, closing the gap to 4 points from table leaders Kitara, who won late in the last minute of their encounter with Express to reach 47 points at the table summit in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League.
Kelvin Barni capitalized on Ikara’s 54th-minute mistake to dribble before shooting into the back of the net, giving us the lead and securing a hard-fought victory at the MTN Omondi Stadium in Lugogo.
Goalless at half-time.
In a tense late kickoff under the floodlights at the MTN Omondi Stadium in Lugogo, the action started with much intensity as we pushed forward, earning a corner taken by Dhata but it didn’t yield. However, with physical battles at play in the midfield, the momentum was halted as Allan Mugalu received a booking just 20 minutes into the game. Cromwel rose for a header, but Ikara, displaying agility, collected the ball effortlessly. The visitors pressed hard, but Benjamin Ochan instinctively pulled off a remarkable save, denying them a crucial opportunity.
Meanwhile, Cromwel found himself down, requiring medical attention, further highlighting the physical nature of the encounter. Despite the challenges, Mugalu attempted a shot after great chest control from Cromwel, narrowly missing the target by inches. The intensity persisted as Cromwel aimed for goal, narrowly sailing the ball above the crossbar.
With both teams fiercely contesting each move, the match was called to a break without a breakthrough.
Second half drama
Shortly after the second half resumed, Kimwero Shamir was forced off due to a back challenge, and Ssebaggala replaced him. In the 54th minute, Kelvin Barni capitalized on Ikara’s error to score, giving us the lead piling a lot more pressure to the title pursuing BUL. Meanwhile, moments later saw BUL F.C Head Coach Abbey Kikomeko was sent off after displaying indiscipline on the touchline. Dhata was also booked for a foul.
BUL won a freekick in the final third and Mwere attempted a powerful shot, but it went wide, denying the visitors an equalizer. In a tactical move, Allan Mugalu was replaced by Ssesaazi Sulaiman to further strengthen the midfield and shield the defense. In the 78th minute, Okocha’s teasing ball was tipped off for a corner, adding to the pressure on BUL’s defense.
As the match progressed, both teams continued to battle fiercely, with us holding onto our lead despite BUL’s efforts to equalize. The final whistle saw the diehards matching off the field victorious.
What it means:
This win means we leapfrog SC Villa into 4th place while denying the visitors what would have been a great chance to go top of the table if they had won. This further opens up the chance for the title for us, as we are now seated 4 points below table leaders Kitara.
What next:
The focus shifts to our first-ever Stanbic Uganda Cup semifinal encounter against the same opponent, BUL FC, whom we play this coming Sunday at the FUFA Technical Center in Njeru for the first leg.
Team News:
There were only two changes made in the starting line up as Kimwero and Mugalu were replaced by Ssebaggala and Ssesaazi respectively.