- Express had gone five league matches without victory
- Their last test of maximum points before today was against Vipers on September 23
Soana 1-02 Express FC
Noah Ssemakula scored the winner for Express at Kavumba Recreation Ground as the side edged Soana 2-1 to end a five-match winless streak.
Ibrahim Saddam Juma had put the visitors in front from the spot midway the first half before Osama Farouk tied the game at the stroke of half time.
Buoyed by a morale boosting 3-0 at Bul on Saturday, Soana started well with Allan Kayiwa the chief tormentor and they should have gotten the lead inside ten minutes only for Frank Kalanda to head wide off the mark.
But the visitors settled as the game waned with Juma, Ssemakula, Allan Kyambadde, Simon Sserunkuma and Herman Wasswa starting to put passes together.
It took 32 minutes for the deadlock to break as a cross from Sserunkuma from the left flank found Wasswa who headed into Saddam’s path inside the 16 yard area and the midfielder went down under a challenge.
The former Bunamwaya player dusted himself to send Didi Muhammad the wrong way amidst protest from the hosts’ coach Sam Ssimbwa who insisted it was never a penalty.
Soana recollected themselves but it was Express that nearly doubled the lead with Wasswa and Kyambadde getting close.
With a minute into additional time, the hosts found the equaliser through Osama who read a brilliant pass from Kayiwa that left the visitors’ defence ball watching to slot home.
Immediately on resumption after the break, Ssimbwa made a change with Willy Kavuma coming off for Rahmat Kagimu.
It took just three minutes for Matia Lule’s side to net the winner after a long pass to Wasswa saw him rise above defender Ayub Kizza to brush down for the advancing Ssemakula who beat goalie Didi to the ball before stamping it home.
It was game over at the time although the introduction for Dan Wagaluka gave the hosts a little cutting edge going forward but Express defended well and saw out the game for the first maximum points since the 1-0 win over Vipers on September 23 who now move to 19 points after the 14th round.
Despite the loss, Soana remains 3rd on the 16 team log with 23 points.
