On Wednesday 1st May, Jeromy Kirya wrote history as the first player to score a goal in the new-look Mandela National Stadium which was opened to the public for the first time since November 2019.
Kirya’s goal saw BUL edge Vipers 1-0 in a well-attended potential title decider that had FUFA president Eng Moses Magogo, NCS Chairman Ambrose Taahobya, General Secretary Dr Bernard Patrick Ogwel, Sports minister Hon Peter Ogwang, National team coaches Paul Put and Sheryl Ulanda Botes all in attendance.
His third goal of the Uganda Premier League season (2023/24) came after 27 minutes when he pounced on Alex Kitata’s pinpoint cross for a lowly driven beauty shot on the far post past the dive of Alfred Mudekereza.
The goal orchestrated wild celebrations not just from BUL fans, but also KCCA and SC Villa faithfuls, whose two teams later clashed in the day’s final game on floodlights.
This was BUL’s 14th victory in 26 matches, moving them top of the log on 49 points with three matches left to play. They are just a point above Kitara in the second and three better of the Venoms.
But defending champions Vipers can still go top on goal difference if they manage to win their game in hand.
KCCA block Villa sight on title
Later in the other epic Kampala derby, KCCA seized the moment after dispatching Sports Club Villa 2-0 to block their clear sight on the league title.
In a game that was watched now by a close-to-full-capacity Namboole stadium, Usama nodded in a beautiful header off an inviting delivery by Achai’s cross from the left which left Villa goalkeeper Braddy Wokorach rooted to his spot after 82 minutes.
He then completed his brace in the 89th minute after a catalogue of delicious passes that ended with Joel Sserunjogi dummying for Arafat to dispatch home with his left boot and Wokorach’s fingertips couldn’t save the situation.
UPL title goesbbdown-to-the-wire
As SC Villa’s surge was tamed, KCCA – for all their struggles early in the season – can say they are also in with a fighting chance.
At 45 points and four matches left, all fourth-placed Villa need is to win their remaining games and hope everyone above them drop some points for the Jogoos to win their first league title since 2004.
On their part, KCCA will end on 54 points if they win all their remaining four games – enough to win the title if the five above them drop more points.
But again, that would be stretching hope too much. As it stands, it is clearly a four-horse race between leaders BUL, Kitara, Vipers and Villa. The run-in has all the hallmarks of a down-to-the-wire affair.
