Azam Uganda Premier League
KCCA FC – Bul FC
StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo
Tuesday, 22-05-2018.
KCCA FC kept up the heat on leaders Vipers SC in the race for the league title with a 2-1 win at home to Bul.
The Kasasiro Boys required a late Derrick Nsibambi header to grab all three points after Nigerian Jean Pier Kambale had cancelled out the KCCA Forwards first half strike.
The first half was played at a slow tempo and saw it’s first chance after three minutes when Bul defender James Otim sent in a cross from the right but KCCA debutant Walter Ochora cleared despite pressure from Jean Pier Kambale.
The Jinja based side was the one asking all the questions in the opening minutes and Kambale robbed Paul Mucurezi of the ball near the KCCA penalty area but Lawrence Bukenya intercepted the forward’s low cross before Richard Wandyake could pounce onto it.
KCCA’s first real chance came on 20 minutes when Derrick Nsibambi chested a Mustapha Kiiza long ball only for Allan Okello to shoot tamely at goal.
A minute later, it a 1-0 to the hosts as Ibrahim Saddam Juma passed brilliantly to find Nsibambi who volleyed in the opener.
A few minutes later, Kambale controlled a long ball from Otim, beat Timothy Awanyi and sent in a low cross which Wandyake tapped over from close range.
Just after the half hour mark, a defensive mix up in the Bul defence enabled Okello to gain possession of the ball just out side the penalty area, he dribbled past the goal keeper but his weak effort was cleared off the line by Yusuf Mukisa.
Seconds later, Saddam Juma unleashed a shot from outside the box but just looked on as it sailed passed the left hand post.
Bul coach Kefa Kisala made his first substitution with seven minutes of the half to play, taking off the ineffective Wandyake and bringing on Hamis Tibita.
On 54 minutes, Paul Mucurezi tried his luck from 20 yards after Julius Poloto was brought down out side the area but his free kick was saved by goalkeeper Hannington Ssebwalunyo.
Midway the second half, Otim tried his luck from a long way out but his shot rattled the bar.
The tempo of the game was upped by the two teams towards the and with 19 minutes to play, KCCA broke swiftly from the middle and Mucurezi teed up Nsibambi who shot straight at Ssebwalunyo.
Eight minutes to the end, Kambale tried an over head kick off a Otim cross but the Nigerian’s week effort was comfortably saved by Lukwago.
Two minutes later, the Nigerian was not to be denied again as he ran wide left, turned Habib Kavuma inside and curled the ball into the back of the net off the left hand post.
The Jinja based side could have won it three minutes from time but Lukwago was at hand to save from Timothy Owori’s close range tap-in off a Tibita cross.
With the game headed for a stalemate, KCCA pushed numbers forward and Kiiza sent in a long ball which was miss-calculated by Ssebwalunyo leaving Nsibambi to head into an empty net for the match winner.
The results leaves KCCA FC two points behind leaders Vipers who defeated Express 5-0 on the same day, with only one game to play.
For Bul, the trip to ninth on the log with 36 points from 29 games. They will travel to Masaka to take on third placed Villa on match day 30.
KCCA will finish the season with a trip away to Police FC on Friday at Namboole.
In the other game played on Tuesday, Vipers ran riot over Express, defeating the Red Eagles 5-0 at the St. Mary’s stadium in Kitende.
Former Express FC striker Dan Muzei Sserunkuma scored a hat trick to take his season’s tally to 16 and currently leads the scoring chats, one ahead of Bright Stars’ captain Nelson Ssenkatuak.
The leader Vipers have a date with relegation threatened UPDF at the St. Mary’s stadium in Kitende.
