Kitara stun holders Vipers to reach second Uganda Cup final

Kitara FC booked their place in the Stanbic Uganda Cup final after knocking out defending champions Vipers SC on the away goals rule following a tense 1-1 draw in the semi-final return leg at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende on Friday evening.

After the first leg in Hoima ended goalless, Kitara needed only a scoring draw to progress and they delivered when it mattered most to silence the home crowd in Kitende.

The visitors struck first in the opening half through Gaddafi Wahab, who reacted quickest to nod home after Jimmy Kalema had headed the ball into his path, giving Kitara a crucial advantage in the tie.

Vipers responded before the break when Karim Watambala calmly converted from the penalty spot after referee George Olemu ruled that Yunus Sentamu had been fouled inside the area.

With the aggregate score level, the Venoms pushed hard in the second half knowing only victory would send them through to another final.

However, despite late pressure and urgency in attack, Kitara remained resilient and disciplined at the back to hold onto the draw that secured their historic qualification.

The result sends Kitara into their second-ever Uganda Cup final, two years after lifting their maiden title in 2024 under coach Brian Ssenyondo.

For Vipers, attention now shifts back to the Uganda Premier League title race where they remain top of the standings, holding a three-point lead over KCCA FC with two decisive fixtures remaining against Maroons FC and Express FC.

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