Kassim Hafizi was still savouring URA FC’s hard-earned victory over Vipers SC, but for the goalkeeper, the greatest satisfaction was keeping another clean sheet after a night that demanded everything from him.
Hafizi produced a crucial late penalty save to deny Farouk Miya as the Tax Collectors held on for a 1-0 victory under the floodlights at Hamz Stadium, extending their winning run to two matches and giving their struggling campaign a much-needed lift.
“Happy to get the three points. The game was not easy, but we managed to get the three points. To me, I felt like I’m really happy because I wanted the clean sheet and God has made me get it,” Hafizi said.
The goalkeeper’s intervention against Miya was just as important as the goal that put URA ahead. Captain Moses Aliro had struck just before half-time, but Vipers threatened to take something from the game when they earned a late penalty.
Hafizi had other ideas, keeping Miya out and ensuring URA collected all three points.
For him, clean sheets are becoming a personal mission, especially with his coach placing the same importance on keeping opponents at bay.
“Normally, the coach tells me he needs the clean sheet, and also my target is having as many as I can. So having a clean sheet like that makes me happier,” he added.
The Vipers’ game was Hafizi’s third clean sheet in four matches. He had also kept out UPDF FC in URA’s 1-0 victory and helped secure a goalless draw against Entebbe UPPC FC.
Interestingly, all three clean sheets have come at Hamz Stadium, making his next assignment an opportunity to prove himself away from home.
Beyond his personal milestones, Hafizi believes the consecutive victories have restored some belief in a URA dressing room that had endured a difficult spell.
The Tax Collectors went six league matches without a win before the return of coach Sam Ssimbwa. They have since responded with identical 1-0 victories over UPDF and Vipers, suggesting that the turnaround might finally be taking shape.
“As an individual, it has helped us to gain more morale because we are still having some setbacks, but God has made us win two games in a row. In the upcoming games, we shall also be working hard to win the games,” he said.
The latest victory lifted URA to 11th place with 10 points, bringing them within touching distance of the mid-table pack and offering fresh hope of rescuing their season.
It was a painful evening for Vipers, who suffered consecutive league defeats for the first time in an unusual slump. Their 1-0 loss to URA followed another narrow defeat by the same margin against Mbarara City.
The Venoms remain eighth with 11 points, having lost valuable ground on leaders SC Villa, who have 21 points, and second-placed BUL FC and NEC FC, who are tied on 20.
Their three-match winless run has complicated their pursuit of a third consecutive league title. The defeat also brought an end to their nine-match unbeaten run against URA in previous Uganda Premier League meetings.
While Vipers ponder another setback, URA have something to build on.
Their next test comes on November 4 when they travel to the BCS Sports Complex in Bukedea to face Kataka FC.
The trip presents a different challenge for Hafizi. Having kept all three of his clean sheets at Hamz Stadium, he will be hoping to carry that form on the road and register his second away clean sheet of the campaign, but first away from Hamz Stadium.