Vipers return to winning ways with 3-1 victory over BUL

Uganda Premier League 

Results 
Vipers 3 BUL 1
Calvary 1 Mbarara 1

Vipers SC returned to winning ways in the Uganda Premier League (UPL) with a commanding 3-1 victory over BUL FC on Saturday night at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, easing the pressure after two consecutive draws.

Second-half goals from Enock Ssebaggala and Usama Arafat, coupled with a well-taken penalty by Abdulkarim Watambala, proved enough for the defending champions, who punished a below-par BUL performance to secure all three points.

The win lifted Vipers to second place on the table with 21 points from nine matches, just two behind leaders KCCA FC, who have amassed 23 points from 10 outings.

With a game in hand, the Kitende side remain firmly in the title conversation as the league edges closer to the AFCON break.

BUL briefly threatened a comeback when Jerome Kirya pulled one back througha a well taken freekick, but their resistance was short-lived as defensive lapses and a lack of cutting edge in attack ultimately cost them.

The Jinja-based side conceded a reckless penalty and were repeatedly exposed at the back, with Usama Arafat’s goal highlighting their defensive frailties. Up front, BUL struggled to create clear chances and failed to trouble the Vipers defence for long periods.

The defeat was BUL’s fourth in a row, a run that leaves them 10th on the standings with 10 points from 10 matches and heaps further pressure on head coach Abbey Kikomeko.

Vipers will now turn their attention to Wednesday’s away fixture against Lugazi FC at Lugazi Stadium in Najjembe, Buikwe, as they look to build momentum before the league recess.

BUL, meanwhile, will attempt to halt their slide when they face Police FC next Tuesday at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru.