Vipers Sports Club put up all they could to get a win over Maroons on Saturday afternoon at St Mary’s stadium but the visitors held their nerves for the game to end in a 1-1 draw.
The visitors got the lead in the 30th minute through Solomon Walusimbi when he beat Vipers’ custodian Ismail Watenga who had saved the initial shot from Abdallah Ssenyonga.
Head coach Miguel Da Costa immediately withdrew holding midfielder Deus Bukenya in the 35 minute for attack minded Duncan Sseninde which temporarily changed the tide in Vipers’ favour.
Over rapping left back Yayo Lutimba then teasingly shot towards the opponent’s goal from 35 yards and his shot just went past Maroons custodian Ashadu Bugembe into the net – kissing the post along the way.
With the game level on 40 minutes, the team went into attack mode with strikers Erisa Ssekisambu and Moussa Mbayi bombarding the visitors’ backline.
The search for goals continued with the technical bench throwing on youngster Steven Mukwala for Ssekisambu and the speedy winger Baden Mujahid coming on for Mbayi.
Maroons goalkeeper Bugembe should be credited for stopping Moses Waiswa’s goal bound shot yet their skipper Sylvester Okello also cleared the ball off the line from a Sseninde effort towards the end of the match.
Milton Karisa, who had just received his monthly best player accolade from sponsors Hima Cement, troubled the visitors backline but Lady Luck was not on our side on the day.
This was Vipers’ second successive league draw after the 1-1 result against UPDF in Bombo on Wednesday but it promises to be an improved performance from the team when they visit KCCA on Tuesday.
Vipers are currently fifth on the Uganda Premier League table with 17 points in 10 games.
