KCCA coach Brian Ssenyondo was highly critical of his side’s performance after they were handed a 2-0 defeat by Police as the Startimes Uganda Premier League resumed on Tuesday evening after the festive break.
The result, coupled with Vipers’ 2-0 win over Mbarara means KCCA dropped to second position with 26 points, one less than the Venoms who also have a game in hand.
‘The opponents were better in everything. The three battles on the pitch, they fought for the first ball, second balls and all the 50-50. And if you allow opponents to do that then you are bound to lose. I told them at half time we need to go toe to toe with them.they showed more resilience and character which a team like KCCA should have everyday. And I believe this game is substandard and we shouldn’t present ourselves like we have.,’ Ssenyondo raged after the game at the Kira Road Police Arena.
His team’s performance was in stark contrast to their previous games that saw KCCA put together a five-game winning streak.
‘I think winning five games on the bounce may be because they think that the league is won. But this kind of performance is unacceptable. Whether we have a break or not you have to present yourself at a big club like KCCA and give 100% and I believe we did not do that today. We just came here to play around and we should not represent the club like this. This should be the last performance where we represent the club like this,’ Ssenyondo further stressed.
The result on the other hand helped Police make it three wins on the trot after goals by Brian Obedi and Congolese striker Bedia Ikamba to move into third position on 24 points and two short of KCCA.
Ikamba’s goal was a joint high sixth for Police as he continues to prove to be one of the signings of the season for the Mathias Lule coached side.
In Kitende reigning champions Vipers stretched their unbeaten start to 11 games courtesy of goals in each half from talisman Allan Okello and Abdulkarim Watambala.
Okello’s goal came from a penalty converted after referee Diana Murungi adjudged Milton Karisa to have been fouled in the box five minutes before the break. It was Okello’s first spot kick taken since his penalty miss for the Cranes against Tanzania at Afcon last week.
The result leaves Mbarara languishing third from bottom with 10 points after 12 games.