Match report: Vipers 1-0 Proline

StarTimes Uganda Premier League

Saturday’s Result

Vipers SC 1-0

Vipers sports club sealed a crucial win over visiting Proline as we fought for a 1-0 victory on a weekend of mixed results to the front runners.

The game which was supposed to have kicked off at 4:00pm delayed for 30 minutes due to unavailability of some Proline licences hence Edris Lubega together with Mahad Yahaya were scrapped off the team sheet thus altering the first eleven.

Coach Edward Golola made two changes to his last lineup opting to start with Allan Kayiwa and Bobos Byaruhanga ahead of Dan Serunkuma and Abraham Ndugwa hence shifting to a 4-3-3 formation from the 4-4-2 against SC Villa.

Last season saw a miserable 2-1 Uganda cup quarter final loss to the visitors, and Golola was clearly eager for a response as Vipers looked to bounce back to winning ways following two consecutive draws.

Up against a determined opponent fresh from a victory over Express in the last encounter, the Venoms needed a statement display but were wasteful in the first half as we battled to a third win out of five matches.

The game started slowly with both clubs struggling to carve any meaningful chances and the first real opportunity happened in the 10th minute when Karim Watambara released Kayiwa but goalkeeper Hassan Matovu was faster on the ball to avert any danger.

Between the 17th and 24th minutes, Vipers had three glorious chances to take the lead all from Innocent Wafula perfect crosses only for Fahad Bayo, Watambara and Bobos to miss the target in succession.

Eight minutes later, Mustafa Mujuzi nearly punished us from a thunderous free kick which goalkeeper Fabien Mutombora almost spilled into his own net though he managed to collect it on a second catch.

In the first half added time, Kayiwa fluffed another opportunity from Paul Willa’s brilliant cross and moments later, Referee William Oloya whistled for interval without any team finding the net.

Vipers got the lead seven minutes upon resumption when Willa floated a dangerous ball into the area which Bayo connected home for his 4th goal in five matches.

Moments later, a mistake by Ibrahim Wamannah handed Watambara an opening however, amongst a forest of legs, the gifted midfielder was only able to fire straight at Matovu.

Proline didn’t relent as they searched for the equaliser with Bright Anukani who had replaced Noordin Bunjo, missing at the near post though Vipers soon headed up the other end when Abraham Ndugwa hesitated after being put through by fellow substitute Serunkuma.

The Venoms held on for a vital win as we moved to 4th position on the startimes Uganda premier league and will be visiting Police FC in our next match on Wednesday.

Vipers SC XI

Fabien Mutombora, Paul Willa, Aziz Kayondo, Bashir Asiku, Halid Lwaliwa, Siraje Ssentamu, Bobos Byaruhanga, Karim Watambara, Allan Kayiwa, Innocent Wafula, Fahad Bayo.

Copyright 2019 Vipers Sports Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.viperssc.co.ug as the source.