Vipers SC overpower Bright Stars, Hassan's hat-trick for Police FC outshines Mbarara City

Vipers SC moved to the top of the Ugandan Premier League table after a 2-0 win over Bright Stars at St Mary's Stadium on Wednesday.

Ceasar Manzoki and Allan Kayiwa scored the goals that ensured the champions emerged victorious from another home encounter.

Yunus Ssentamu almost opened the scoring in the 20th minute when he attempted an acrobatic shot which went just wide, after receiving a pass from Paul Mucreezi.

The two combined again 10 minutes later when Mucureezi delivered a free-kick that was collected by Ssentamu, whose shot narrowly missed the target.

Five minutes later, Mucureezi and Ssentamu tried a similar trick from a dead ball situation, but the latter shot the ball wide again as the home side looked hungrier in as far as goal-hunting was concerned.

In the 37th minute, Ibrahim Orit picked out Manzoki but the former launched a weak shot that did not pose a great problem to Bright Stars goalkeeper Edwin Kiwanuka at all.

Bright Stars were lucky to head into the break with the scoreboard reading 0-0 given the number of chances Vipers had.

Manzoki managed to break the deadlock in the 60th minute when he brilliantly tapped home to give the Venoms a rather deserved lead.

Fred Kajoba introduced Kayiwa and Muhammad Shaban in the 70th minute in places of Mucureezi and Manzoki.

Kayiwa needed just two minutes on the pitch to extend Vipers' lead when he fired into the roof of the net. Orit could have made it 3-0 but he failed to score from close range after he received a cross from Kayiwa.

Kiwanuka saved two attempts by Kayiwa and Karim Watambala in the last five minutes to ensure Bright Stars did not concede more goals.

Meanwhile, at the Omondi Stadium in Lugogo, Police FC condemned Mbarara City to a 3-1 defeat.

Mbarara City took a 27th-minute lead when Reuben Kimera lost the ball which eventually landed in Jude Ssemugabi's path.

Ssemugabi created himself some space and slotted past Police's goalkeeper Tom Ikara.

Mahmood Hassan then equalised for the Cops in the 42nd minute to ensure the tie remained 1-1 at the half-time break.

A minute past the hour mark, Hassan scored his brace to hand the hosts a 2-1 lead and earned his hat-trick seven minutes later when he struck to stretch their lead to 3-1. 

George Kiryowa, who joined the Cops from Spartan FC in the Third Division, was given his debut by head coach Abdalla Mubiru.