By 
Uganda Premier League
- Vipers 3-1 NEC
Vipers SC sent a resounding message in the Uganda Premier League title race on Thursday evening, brushing aside second-placed NEC FC with a commanding 3-1 victory at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende. The win, led by a masterful display from skipper Allan Okello, saw the Venoms pull five points clear at the top of the table and solidify their status as title favorites.
From the first whistle, the Vipers imposed themselves on the match, showing why they have been the team to beat this season. Captain Okello was at the heart of everything, controlling the tempo and driving his team forward. He delivered the first blow in the 22nd minute, curling in a superb freekick that found Hillary Mukundane who made no mistake from close range to make it 1-0.
Okello wasn’t done yet. Just before the break, he capped off a brilliant first-half display by getting on the scoresheet himself. Yunus Sentamu slipped in a clever assist and the skipper applied a composed finish to double Vipers’ lead.
As the first-half clock ticked into stoppage time, Vipers struck again. Isaac Ogwang was the beneficiary of a sharp pass from Karim Watambala and he made it 3-0 with a well-placed finish, effectively putting the game out of reach for NEC before halftime.
The visitors, stunned and outplayed in the opening 45, tried to regroup after the interval. While they managed to stem the tide and prevent further damage, their only consolation came six minutes from time. Paul Mucureezi converted a penalty after James Jarieko was brought down in the box, giving NEC a small measure of pride in an otherwise difficult night.
The result marked the Vipers’ 17th win in 24 league matches, moving them to 56 points, five ahead of NEC, who remain second. With the business end of the season approaching, Vipers SC has not only created daylight between themselves and their closest rivals but has also made a clear statement of intent.
