Azam Uganda Premier League
Express FC 0-0 SC Villa
Mutessa II War Memorial Stadium, Wankulukuku
Friday, 11-05-2018.
Express and Villa played out a goalless draw at Wankulukuku on Wednesday, a result that doesn’t favour any of the two sides.
The game of few goal mouth action saw Juma Ssebaduka pounce onto a poor Bernard Muwanga headed clearance but the forward shot straight at Samson Kirya in the Villa goal inside the first two minutes.
Three minutes later, Villa’s Allan Kyambadde was played in through on goal by Yubu Bogeere and with Godwin Bule in the Express goal beaten, the day’s captain for the Red Eagles, Julius Ntambi saved the day with brilliant last ditch clearance.
The rest of the opening half was played in a casual manner until two minutes to the mandatory break when Henry Katongole and Kirya connived to bring down Express’s big centre forward in the area but all claims of offside where waved away by the referee.
Two minutes into the second half, Express should have taken the lead but only for midfielder Ayub Kisalita to hit the cross bar inside the six yard box after SC Villa had failed to clear their lines following a Micheal Birungi corner.
Both teams traded half chances from there after with no clear desire to win the game and it ended in a calm manner unlike the past Kampala Derbies.
What the coaches said after the game:
Mubarak Kiberu, SC Villa goalkeeping coach.
“It was a game we knew we had to win but unfortunately came short.
“Our chances of winning the league are pretty much over but we will try to win our remaining games to finish as high as we can on the table.
“The day Wasswa Bbossa was suspended, is the day we lost the league title because he was the heart beat and driving factor.
Shafic Bisaso, Express FC.
“We were unlucky not to win the game today because we clearly created the better chances and we were the best side on the day.
“Unfortunately that has been how our season has paved out from day one.
“Despite the draw, a will keep on believing until the very last day.
Express FC remained in the relegation zone with 28 points from as many games.
The Red Eagles seat only a point away from safety after UPDF lost at home to Soana.
For Villa, they remain third on the log with 54 points from 28 games played and currently seat five points behind leaders Vipers with only two games to play.
Express will be back inaction away to already relegated Masavu FC at the Training Institute in Bugonga, Entebbe next week.
For Villa, they will be away to Proline on Monday at the StarTimes Stadium in Lugogo.
The other matches played on Friday:
UPDF FC 0-2 Soana FC
Maroons FC 0-1 Police FC
Bul FC 1-2 Bright Stars FC
