By 
- Stanbic Uganda Cup
Vipers SC 1-0 Kitara FC St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende
Vipers SC earned a crucial 1-0 victory over Kitara FC in the first leg of the Stanbic Uganda Cup semi-final, thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time goal by substitute Yunus Sentamu.
Under the lights at Kitende it was a tight and physically contested affair with few clear-cut chances until the decisive moment. Both sides struggled to carve out meaningful opportunities in a tightly contested first half ending in a goalless score.
After the interval, Vipers stepped up their dominance, controlling possession and pushing Kitara deeper into their own half. Despite this, the hosts found it difficult to penetrate Kitara’s organized and resolute backline. Substitute Gusto Mulongo missed a golden opportunity when he failed to convert a setup from Pedro Sukuya.
Just as the match appeared to be headed for a goalless draw, Sentamu made the difference. Introduced in the second half for Sukuya, the forward was alert in the dying minutes of stoppage time to pounce on a defensive lapse. He calmly slotted the ball past Kitara goalkeeper Chrispus Kusiima, who was left helpless after his defenders failed to clear the danger.
Sentamu’s late strike not only sealed the win but also sent the home fans into wild celebrations and handed Vipers a vital advantage heading into the return leg.
With the narrow victory, Vipers have one foot in the final and remain on course for a domestic double. They will, however, need to remain focused as they prepare for a challenging second leg scheduled for May 17th in Hoima, where Kitara will look to overturn the deficit and keep their own cup dreams alive.
