Mutebi (right) confers with his assistant Morley Byekwaso in a previous game. Photos by Michael Nsubuga

FOOTBALL      UGANDA PREMIER LEAGUE

StarTimes Uganda Premier League

Saturday                                                                       

Express v Proline 

Busoga United v Mbarara City 

URA v Bright Stars 

Maroons v Bul                                                                                

Sunday                                                 

Wakiso v Onduparaka   

 

KCCA FC put their StarTimes Uganda Premier League title ambitions back on track on Friday with a 1-0 victory over Tooro United at the StarTimes Stadium.

Teenage striker Sunday Opio who was making his first full debut scored the lone of the tie in the 17th minute tapping in a Hassan Musana' corner kick.

The result saw the reigning champions (KCCA) move to 38 points, four behind leaders Vipers SC who fell to SC Villa 1-0 at home.

Opio who started up front with Sadat Anaku subjected the visitors' backline to immense pressure.

He hit the woodwork in the 15th minute after being set up by Mike Mutyaba.

The midfield pact of Gift Ali and Steven Sserwadda in support of Mutyaba kept Tooro's forwards away from reaching their goalkeeper Jamil Malyamungu who started in the place of first-choice goalkeeper Charles Lukwago. 

The best opportunity of the game in the first half for the Fort Portal club (Tooro) fell to Charles Musige in the 25th minute when he rose up to head in Willy Kavuma's corner, but he missed the target.

KCCA continued to search for a second goal and in the 36th-minute centre back John Revita almost doubled their lead with a powerful header but it hit the side netting.

Tooro were dealt a major blow as the game approached half time when their captain got injured after colliding with Revita and was replaced by James Kasibante.

In the second half Coach Mike Mutebi who was desperate for a second goal withdrew Steven Sserwadda and brought on Julius Poloto to add more fire to the attacking duo of Opio and Anaku.

Revita put in a great shift for KCCA FC at the back.

In the last 20 minutes of the game, Tooro reorganized themselves and pushed for an equaliser, but Revita and Kato in the KCCAFC defense stood firm and cleared every ball that landed in their 18yard box.

In the 78' and 82' minutes, Malyamungu pulled a couple of saves to deny Tooro's Yafeesi Mubiru. First by saving his header with fingertips, secondly a clearance on the line after Revita and Kato had been beaten.

"The result was good and it puts us in a better position to continue with our mission of trying to defend the league," Mutebi stated after the game.

Tooro's coach Mohammed Kisseka was impressed with the performance of his lads owing to the challenges the club is facing and the mighty of the opponent they were facing.

"To be honest, a loss is not a good result but the fact is we are currently facing a lot of problems which we are still working to resolve. We had expected heavy damage from the opponent but am happy with the way the boys responded," Kisseka said.

Earlier Herman Wasswa scored a stoppage-time penalty to help Abdullah Mubiru's Police register their third consecutive second-round win after they beat Kyetume 1-0.