Vipers clinch fifth league title with victory over Express

Vipers SC reclaimed the StarTimes Uganda Premier League title with four games to spare after a comfortable 3-0 victory over defending champions Express FC.

The Red Eagles remarkably ended Vipers’ title hunt 12 months ago, with a 1-0 victory and returned to the St. Mary’s Stadium seeking to put the celebrations on hold, but even them could not stop the Venoms’ ascension to the title.

Yunus Ssentamu prodded in Hilary Mukundane’s cross to give the hosts the lead after 25 minutes, and added a second nine minutes later nodding in at the far post again from Mukundane’s lay-up.

Bright Anukani’s deflected shot made it three at the hour mark to surely end Express’ reign as champions, and give Roberto Oliveira his first league title in Uganda, and third for the club in five seasons.

It is also the fifth league title for the Venoms in club history since winning it for the first time in the 2009/2010 season.

They won it in 2014/15, 2017/18 and again in 2019/20, going ahead of URA FC for StarTimes Uganda Premier League titles.

Vipers’ conquest does not come as a surprise as it seemed inevitable for weeks that they would win it after building a massive point advantage over rivals KCCA and URA FC.

They have now won 20 of their 26 league games thus far, and boast the most potent attack in the division after scoring 60 goals so far this season, and a revamped defence holding them steady.

Vipers still have a shot at winning a league and cup double this season as they are also in the semi-final of the Stanbic Uganda Cup.

Unlike last season when Express had to celebrate winning their first league title in a decade at a special occasion, Vipers will have a capacity crowd to witness them collect the trophy after the final game of the season against Police FC at the St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende.