Reigning champions Vipers continued their rise up the StarTimes Uganda Premier League table with a 2-1 win over Maroons at the St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Saturday.
A Yunus Sentamu strike deflected off defender Derrick Basoga and a first goal in Vipers colours for Usama Arafat proved sufficient before Raymond Walugembe pulled a goal back for Maroons in the second half.
The victory lifted the Venoms five places to seventh on the log with a perfect nine points from three games while Maroons stayed third from bottom with five points in six games.
The game was also the start of a tight schedule for Vipers that will see them play three games in seven days to make up for the games in hand accumulated by their involvement in the Caf Champions League.
They will need to be more clinical in front of goal with Express and Villa unlikely to be as obliging as the Prisons Warders were particularly in the opening exchanges.
Vipers took the lead a minute after the start when Sentamu received a pass from Enoch Luyima, skipped past a defender with his effort deflecting heavily off Basoga.
Arafat then made it 2-0 on eight minutes when he was allowed space to run through the Maroons midfield unchallenged before striking low past Maroons goalkeeper Simon Tamale.
The keeper then kept the scores low with saves from Sentamu and Allan Okello who started on the bench after his Cranes’ excursions while Karim Watambala failed to make proper connection from a fine team move.
The second half saw both teams miss further goal scoring opportunities but Maroons were given hope of rescuing a point when Mukundane deflected Walugembe’s effort into the goal on 58 minutes
It however turned out to be a false dawn as Vipers held on for victory.