Africa-Press – Uganda. In just a month, Alex Isabirye has polished Vipers in a manner that his two predecessors Roberto Oliveira and Beto Bianchi would envy.
It would be foolhardy to bet against Vipers returning to the Stanbic Uganda Cup final and pushing StarTimes Uganda Premier League leaders SC Villa to the wire.
Vipers didn’t engage the second gear while mauling Fufa Big League side Calvary 4-1 at the St Mary’s Stadium-Kitende on Friday to storm a third consecutive Uganda Cup semis.
You guessed right, Yunus Sentamu returned to his scoring old self with a brace and his second, a curling left shot outside the box, reminded many about the instinctive goal poacher he can be when fit and in his right moods.
If any player symbolises Isabirye’s immediate man management impact at Vipers, it has got to be Nigerian forward Abubakar Lawal who bagged another well taken brace against Calvary.
His was on his way out of Kitende as an outcast when Isabirye extended him an olive branch that he has handsomely repaid.
First, he teamed up with Congolese midfielder Gracia Mpogo in an intricate interplay to net on 16 minutes before taking the penalty responsibilities later on to seal Vipers’ progress to the next round.
Junior Andama’s neat freekick for the visitors in the second half received less plaudits from the frantic home fans that were appreciating the improved outfit their team is gradually turning into under Isabirye’s tutorship.
At 32 points from 17 matches, third placed Vipers can go top of log leaders SC Villa by a point if they win their four games in hand.
That possibility, coupled with an impressive run in the Uganda Cup forms belief among many a Vipers fan that at long last, the league and Cup double could be attained.
Double hopes at Lugogo but…..
In their 60 years existence, KCCA only managed the double feat in 2017 under manager Mike Mutebi.
KCCA management have reminded under pressure coach Morley Byekwaso how meticulous it would be to jubilate the platinum jubilee this season with the Uganda Cup and league title in their trophy cabinet.
The 10-time Uganda Cup winners are in Kavumba on Sunday to face Asaph Mwebaze’s Soltilo Bright Stars in the quarterfinals.
The growing fans’ distrust in Byekwaso’s style of play and lack of charisma should take back seat as they descend to Kavumba to join rivals Vipers, Police, Adjumani in the semis.
The home side has lost the last four matches against UPDF, SC Villa,URA and Gaddafi but should be emboldened by the fact that they ejected KCCA at the same stage last season at Lugogo.
The three draws against Maroons, Blacks Power and UPDF left KCCA five points and two matches adrift of Villa’s but that hasn’t taken away the belief that anything is possible.
“We are going back to the drawing board to get a formula of winning crucial games as the season gets to the end.We need to win the two trophies we are in and that implies winning all the matches we are going to play.
“Sometimes it is down to players to convert the many chances that we create and lift the club,” Byekwaso revealed.
KCCA last lifted the league crown in 2019 under Mutebi while the last Cup victory was in 2018 when they halted Vipers’ double quest in Bukedea.
Their opponents Bright Stars defied the odds to reach the 2019 Uganda Cup finals in Masala and lost out to Proline via spotkicks.
Stanbic Uganda Cup
Quarterfinals – Sunday
Soltilo Bright Stars vs. KCCA – 3pm (Kavumba)
Result
Vipers 4-1 Calvary
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