Uganda Premier League: SC Villa edge Express in Kampala derby, URA leapfrog to third

Jonah Patrick Kakande’s penalty proved decisive as SC Villa claimed a hard-fought 1-0 Uganda Premier League victory over arch-rivals Express FC in the Kampala derby on Saturday.

Kakande converted from the spot in the 54th minute after Ashraf Mbazira was penalized for a handball inside the box.

The derby at Prisons Ground, Luzira, carried more pride than title implications with both Villa and Express currently outside the championship conversation.

Villa’s triumph marks their sixth win in 17 league matches, moving them to sixth place with 24 points. The defending champions remain 13 points adrift of table leaders Vipers SC and now sit just one point behind Express, who dropped to fourth following URA’s victory later in the evening.

For SC Villa, the win offers a much-needed boost after they stumbled in their second-round opener with a draw at Wakiso Giants. Meanwhile, Express FC will be eager to bounce back, having suffered back-to-back defeats since the league’s restart.

At Nakivubo, Moses Aliro’s precise header in the 30th minute off a Nyarwa Olimi was enough to hand URA FC a 1-0 win over Maroons FC, propelling the Tax Collectors to third place in the standings.

URA now sit on 27 points, 10 behind Vipers SC, while Maroons remain in eighth place with 23 points. Matchday 17 action continues on Sunday with four more fixtures lined up.

League Table (Top-8)