Overview:
Despite Vipers going into the game as favourites, Julius Poloto 42nd minute winner was enough to secure the trophy for the Kasasiro managed by legendary Mike Mutebi.
In June 2018, Vipers were close to being only the fourth team in history to claim a League and Cup double.
They faced KCCA in the Uganda Cup final at the Emokori Grounds in Bukedea, days after winning the Premier League.
Despite Vipers going into the game as favourites, Julius Poloto’s 42nd-minute goal was enough to secure the trophy for the Kasasiro, managed by legendary Mike Mutebi.
The Kasasiro endured a tough last 20 minutes with a man down after Ibrahim Sadam Juma was sent off for a second bookable offence.
A repeat of the final in nearly similar circumstances is on come Saturday, May 31 but what happened to the players that featured in that famous match-up in 2018?
Vipers SC XI
Ismail Watenga
The current Uganda Cranes number one would leave the Venoms at the end of the season, spending a season at Ethiopia’s Coffee before joining Sofapaka in Kenya.
The custodian later moved to South Africa, joining Chippa United in 2020 but he is currently on the books of Mamelodi Sundowns but plying his trade with Golden Arrows where he is on loan.
Bashir Asiku
The defender started the match at right back on the day. The former U-17 centre back has since joined Vipers and Gaddafi and was last seen at Lugazi at the start of the season, although he appears to have gone AWOL at the club.
Yayo Lutimba
Lutimba played as a left back in the game but two seasons later, he later left Vipers SC and joined Tanzania’s Mbeya City. At the moment, he is not attached to any club.
Geoffrey Wasswa
The centre back was a mainstay in the heart of defence for the Venoms between 2016 and 2020 making more than 100 appearances.
He then went to SC Villa for a season before he quit for KCCA where he spent a couple of seasons.
At the moment, he plays for Ethiopian giants Coffee, which he joined in 2023.
Halid Lwaliwa
Lwaliwa partnered with Wasswa at the heart of defence. He is regarded as a legend, having spent over 8 seasons with the club between 2014 and 2022.
When he left Vipers in 2022, he joined North Macedonian side Bregalnica Stip where he spent two years and is currently in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ain.
Taddeo Lwanga
The day’s team captain spent another season at Kitende before he moved Tanta in Egypt following great exploits with Uganda Cranes at the Afcon 2019.
He is currently with Rwanda giants APR after previous stints with Simba in Tanzania and Artar Solar in Djibouti.
Moses Waiswa
After two more seasons at the club, Waiswa earned a move to South African PSL side SuperSport United in 2020 where he spent two years before he returned home to join Vipers’ rivals KCCA.
As fate would have it, he left the Kasasiro in January 2024 and is back at Vipers and will have a chance to make amends for the missed opportunity in 2018.
Milton Karisa
Karisa left Vipers at the end of that particular campaign to join Morocco’s MC Oujda.
He returned to Vipers after just a single season in Morocco and will captain the Venoms come May 31 at Fufa stadium, Kadiba.
Erisa Ssekisambu
The well-travelled forward also quit Vipers at the end of the 2017/18 season and went to Gor Mahia in Kenya.
He has since played for KCCA, SC Kiyovu and Rwanda and reports show he is in India with Super Studio Malappuram.
Dan Mzee Sserunkuma
The veteran forward who joined Vipers in the mid-season transfer in January 2018 from local giants Express is the only player to remain at the club since without any moves.
Duncan Sseninde
The once highly rated attacker spent another campaign at Kitende before he moved to Wakiso Giants in 2019.
He has since played for Police and is on the books of Fufa Big League side Gaddafi (currently UPPC), which hosts their matches at Entebbe Works Ground.
Used Substitutes
Steven Mukwala – now at Simba SC in Tanzania
Pius Wangi – last featured for SC Villa in Uganda before he went to Rwanda.
Pius Nkuubi – plays for Maroons in the Uganda Premier League
Unused Subs:
James Alitho (G.K) – Wakiso Giants, Ashraf Mandela – Police (Rwanda), Tom Masiko – Wakiso Giants, Frank “Zagga” Tumwesigye (Kitara)
Coach – Miguel Da Costa
KCCA XI
Charles Lukwago
After years at KCCA between 2016 and 2021, Lukwago who won the best goalkeeper of the Uganda Cup in 2018 moved to Ethiopia and joined St. George but has since moved to Hawassa City where he is since 2023.
Filbert Obenchan
He started at right back in Bukedea having come through the ranks of the KCCA Junior team in 2017.
Despite spending a season off, he rejoined KCCA and will have an opportunity to feature again in the historic finale eight years later.
Habib Kavuma
The left back was let go by the club after that season and joined rivals SC Villa where he played for a couple of seasons before moving to India in 2022.
He has since retired and is now part of Jackson Magera’s coaching staff and also coaches the KCCA academy.
Paul Musamali
Musamali played for Mbale Heroes this season but after leaving KCCA, he played in Kenya and Zambia.
Timothy Awany
Regarded as the best defender in the country then, Awany spent one more campaign at Lugogo before he moved to Israel and joined Ashdod FC.
He still plies his trade in Europe and is a regular in the Uganda Cranes national team squad.
Isaac Kirabira
Regarded as the most intelligent anchorman by many, Kirabira spent one more season at KCCA before he joined Kyetume in 2019.
He has since retired from the beautiful game and is part of Steven Bengo’s coaching staff at Wakiso Giants alongside Tonny Mawejje.
Ibrahim Sadam Juma
Juma was sent off in the 70th minute in the game for a second yellow card.
He left KCCA in 2020 and had a stint with childhood club SC Villa before injury forced him into early retirement.
He is currently coaching the Juventus academy in China where he got connected by former coach at Villa, Petros Koukouras.
Jackson Nunda
The most technically gifted number 10 of recent times is currently with Maroons despite an injury-plagued career that deterred his development to the heights many would have expected.
Julius Poloto
The only player yet to leave KCCA since then amongst the starters in Bukedea.
The current KCCA captain scored the winner and would wish to repeat the feat given the opportunity.
His career has been blighted by consistent injuries but he remains a hero in the face of many KCCA faithful.
Allan Okello
After leaving KCCA in 2020 for AC Paradou in Algeria, the midfielder returned to KCCA in 2022/23 but the club failed to keep him permanently, citing a bad injury.
Instead, he joined rivals Vipers in 2023 and has enjoyed the most prolific campaign in his career and will now turn guns against a side where he officially started his senior career as a teenager in 2017.
He was on the winning side in 2018 and it remains to be seen whether that will change or stay the same.
Ironically, he was the tournament’s MVP in the tournament in 2018.
Patrick Kaddu
The tournament’s top scorer in 2018 left KCCA after one more season and joined RS Berkane in Morocco.
He briefly returned to KCCA for the 2021/2022 season but then quit to join Kitara for a single season in the Fufa Big League, helping the club to earn promotion before he then moved to Gor Mahia in Kenya.
He has since returned to Kitara and was present in two legs as his side was eliminated by Vipers 2-0 on aggregate in the semis.
Used substitutes
Paul Mucureezi – plays his trade with NEC
Solomon Okwalinga – plays at Kitara
Unused Subs:
Tom Ikara (G.K), Jamil Maliyamungu (G.K), Denis Okot Oola (retired), Eric Ssenjobe (Police/Rwanda), Ibrahim Wannamah (URA)
Coach – Mike Hilary Mutebi
