2014-2015 Uganda Premier League champions Vipers SC were held to a goalless draw by Sadolin Paints FC, in their Friday 27 October premiership match, played at the Bugembe Stadium,Jinja.
Credit must go to Vipers for their discipline and commitment but Sadolin’s ineptitude will make the headlines.
Musa Esanu almost made amends for an uneventful opening half in the first minute of the second but Franco Olinga blocked his effort grabbing the ball on the line.
That apart, Sadolin FC were restricted to half chances and once again were jeered from the pitch by the home fans.
Tony Odur was his usual busy self and Keziron Kizito showed sparks of the penetration that has propelled him to the forefront of the new Uganda generation, but otherwise there was little in terms of imagination or guile.
The first half saw Kizito, Herman Wasswa and Kyambadde produce hopeful and ineffectual pot-shots for Vipers.
And although Joseph Ssemuju bundled the ball from the edge of the box had he opted for a back heel pass to a surging Hassan Wasswa whose shot went of target.
No doubt having received some harsh words at half-time from Abdullah Mubiru, Vipers came out for the second with the bit between their teeth and produced the game’s standout goalscoring opportunity.
A long ball forward beat the Sadolin FC defence and found Wasswa, whose first effort was parried by William Wadri and his second goalbound shot was cleared off the line superbly by Oryek.
It was a moment of defiance that epitomised his side’s endeavours.
In their previous two matches Sadolin FC had only sparked into life after conceding twice and as a testimony to their late improvement in the past game, Ssegonzi Peter started with the side that never looked like being overwhelmed again.
The largely anonymous Kizito Keziron provided a cross for Vipers team-mate Brian Kakaire to fire wide from inside the box and Wasswa and Johnson cut in from the left only to see their shots respectively saved and blocked by an offside Wategwa.
Sadolin’s only lapse occurred later in the second half when Waddada Nicholas, under pressure from substitute Bashir Muttada misplaced a back-pass straight to Ssemuju , but the striker shot past the far post from 10 yards.
Kayiwwa was replaced by midfielder Mussa Essanu shortly after, showing lucksure due to a suspected injury and Allan Oryek almost stole the points for the home team with a 20-yard strike late on, which would maybe have been too great a reward for their efforts.
When Wategwa Sam plucked a Hassan Wasswa shot out of the top corner, their deserved point was secure moving to 11th position in UPL table.
