Uganda Premier League
SC Villa 3-1 Mbarara City FC
Mandela National Stadium, Namboole
Wednesday, 04-09-2019
NABOOLE – SC Villa defeated Mbarara City 3-1 in the Uganda Premier League game played at Mandela National Stadium on Wednesday night.
David Owori, Emmanuel Kawooya and Ambrose Kirya scored the goals for Edward Kaziba’s side who went into the game having lost to Kyetume FC in their opener.
Brian Ahebwa had earlier struck for the visitors to temporarily reduce the deficit to 2-1 but his goal turned out to be a mere consolation in the end.
This is Mbarara City’s first loss of the season having beaten Proline FC 3-0 in their first game.
Villa too good for average Mbarara City
SC Villa had a trying preseason as they could only afford to offer a host players trials without being able to make any high profile signings.
They also had issues with their training ground which was eventually take away and it’s demolition started even before the kick of a ball in the 2019/20 season.
However, they put all that behind them plus their disappointing loss to newly-promoted Kyetume last week, on Wednesday and somehow cruised to a comfortable victory in the end.
At the start, it was not all rosy as Mbarara City made them work for the result.
Last season’s top scorer Bashir Mutanda tried to catch Mbarara City custodian Tom Ikara off his line but the striker’s effort from the halfway line sailed over and wide.
Owori then saw an attempted cross crash off the cross bar and back into play.
Villa continued knocking on the door and Mutanda was unlucky as his fierce free kick from 25 yards rattled the upright.
On 38 minutes, Mbarara City’s defence finally succumbed to pressure, gifting Villa the opening goal.
Trying to play out from the back, Ronald Otti’s weak back pass was pounced on by Owori who slotted in past Ikara to put Villa 1-0 up.
Five minutes later, Kalyowa made a solo run into the Mbarara area before his goal bound shot crept in under Ikara to make it 2-0.
The game looked to have settled down in the second half as Villa tried to see out their lead and Mbarara struggling to create chances.
In what was arguably their best chance of the game, a neat exchange between Paul Mucureezi and Ibrahim Orit saw Ahebwa lash onto a through ball before slotting in to reduce the deficit.
However, three minutes later, SC Villa restored their advantage as Emmanuel Wasswa set up Ambrose Kirya whose shot riffled into the top corner.
It was a disappointing result for the Ankole Lions who earlier in the game saw Mucureezi strike a free kick straight at Saidi Keni in the Villa goal before an Orit curling effort sailed argonizingly over.
The other results on Wednesday
-Police FC 0-2 Bul FC
-Proline FC 1-0 Onduparaka FC
