Uganda Premier League (Match Day 25):
- SC Villa 2-1 Mbarara City
- Maroons 2-2 Police
The management of Mbarara City Football Club has suspended their first choice goalkeeper Ali Kimera following two deadly mistakes in the2-1 loss against Sports Club Villa at the Mandela National Stadium on Wednesday night.
Also affected is the club’s goalkeeping coach Yusuf Ssenyonjo.
The two will be out for the time being to pave way for investigations.
Goalkeeper Ali Kimera and the goalkeeping coach Yusuf Ssenyonjo have been suspended as the investigations take effect. They are not allowed to step anywhere close to the club training area not after the investigations have been done
Hesborn Mushabe, Mbarara City PRO
On Wednesday night, Sports Club Villa piped visiting Mbarara City 2-1 in a Uganda Premier League contest played under flodlights.
A goal in each half by Albert Mugisa and Ronald Magwali gave the record Uganda Premier League champions maximum points in the second night game of the season.
League debutant Jude Ssemugabi had at the start of the second half given some ray of hope for the visitors with a bullet finish inside the goal area before Magwali’s late winner.
Earlier, Magwali, also a national beach soccer player had hit the side net from an acute angle after a quick
A few minutes later, South Sudanese international Makuewth Wol laid the ball for exciting Uganda U-20 midfielder Ivan Eyam who was consequently fouled near 18 yard line.
Eyam had the first golden opportunity of the match to score but his goal bound tap-in was cleared off the line by Villa captain Habib Kavuma for a fruitless corner kick in the 9th minute.
Former Jogoo captain Ambrose Kirya shot over the Mbarara City goal from 25 yards on the quarter hour mark
Three minutes later, Wol combined well with Jude Ssemugabi during a quick break but the Villa defence remained calm and solid to thwart the move.
On 25 minutes, Kirya registered a second shot on target which was well collected by the visiting side goalkeeper Ali Kimera.
After 28 minutes, midfielder Pistis Barenge chipped a perfectly weighted ball that Wol chest passed to Eyam.
The latter has a deflected shot for Mbarara City’s corner.
Mugisa broke the deadlock with a calm finish in the 33rd minute following a howler by goalie Kimera.
Kimera had intended to chip the ball away but instead the clearance landed on the chest of Mugisa before the former Police play maker capitalized on the blunder to finish into the net.
Kirya fouled Mbarara City left back Jasper Aheebwa for the first booking on the night by FIFA Referee Ali Sabilla with seven minutes to the climax of the game.
Towards the end of the first half, Sports Club Villa’s industrious player, Emmanuel Kalyowa recovered from a slight knock to soldier on for the rest of the half as the opening stanza ended in favour of the Jogoos.
Mbarara City returned for the final 45 minutes of the game a better entity, approaching the game with pace and urgency.
As early as the second minute upon restart of play, they had equalized.
Wol held up the ball before releasing Ibrahim Orit who set up Ssemugabi to fire past goalkeeper Saidi Keni for the equalizer well deserved.
Three minutes ahead, the Ankole Lions raided the opposition goal when Wol combined with Ssemugabi but the Jogoos’ goalkeeper Saidi reacted faster off the line to tame the danger.
The first change on the night was executed by the SC Villa technical bench, introducing left back John Adriko for a silent Ibrahim Mugulusi.
On the hour mark, veteran Mike Sserumaga replaced the SC Villa first goal scorer Mugisa.
Sserumaga immediately exhibited his old glimpses of old – with a venomous free-kick from 30 yards that was parried away for a corner by Kimera.
With 16 minutes left on the clock, Kimera committed yet another school-boy error that Magwali capitalized on to find the winner.
It was a simple tap into the net after a teasing but harm-less laid ball from the left wing by Adriko that Kimera punched into the forward’s path who made no mistake for the match winner.
Mbarara City reacted immediately with another change.
Striker Brian Aheebwa was introduced for Bebe Swalik Segujja in the 76th minute.
Two minutes later, Mbarara City had a free-kick by Pistis Barenge easily handled by goalkeeper Keni
Barenge was later cautioned for a foul on Bashir Mutanda.
With two minutes to play, the day’s team captain Zaidi Byekwaso who took over the team leadership because Hilary Mukundane was suspended, was rested for Steven Othieno.
The change was however rather too late to cause an impact as the four added minutes indicated by the game’s fourth off, William Oloya elapsed.
This was SC Villa’s 6th win in 25 matches, good enough to displace Maroons from 12th place.
Both Maroons and SC Villa have 26 points fetched.
Mbarara City suffered yet another heart breaking loss that vanished their chances of a league title.
The Ankole Lions have now suffered six losses, keeping them in fourth place as they remain with
Team Line ups:
SC Villa XI: Saidi Keni (G.K), Moses Kiggundu, Habib Kavuma (Captain), Shafik Bakaki, Ibrahim Mugulusi (52’ John Adriko), Ambrose Kirya, Sulaiman Majanjalo, Albert Mugisa (Mike Sserumaga), Emmanuel Kalyowa, David Owori, Ronald Magwali
Subs: Yusuf Wasswa (G.K), Bashir Mutanda, Mike Sserumaga, Pius Wangi, Benson Muhindo, Asuman Harishe
Head Coach: Douglas Bamweyana
Assistant Coach: Simon Mugerwa
Mbarara City XI: Ali Kimera (G.K), Zaid Byekwaso (88’ Stephen Othieno), Gasper Aheebwa, Ronnie Kiseka, Rashid Muhammed, Pistis Barenge, Swalik Segujja (76’ Brian Aheebwa), Ivan Eyam, Jude Semugabi, Makueth Wol
Subs: Muhammed Ssekeba (G.K), Ronald Orit, Stephen Kabuye, Umar Muhwiizi, Raymond Onyai
Head Coach: Charles Livingstone Mbabazi
Assistant Coach: Baker Kasule
Match Officials:
- Center Referee: Ali Sabilla
- Assistant Referee 1: Musa Balikoowa
- Assistant Referee 2: Robson John Atusinguza
- Fourth Official: William Oloya
- Referees’ Assessor: Hassan Hary Basisa
Should a bad day in office be dealt with in that manner?
How about players who miss penalty spot kicks?