Vipers end the year with defeat to Express

• Vipers are without a coach
• They fired Brazilian Leo Neiva last week
• They are now eight points behind leaders BUL

Under pressure Vipers SC continued with their tough end to the year, as they were beaten 2-0 by Express FC on the road in their final fixture of the 2023 calendar year.

The defending champions were beaten 3-2 by table topping BUL prior to this game, leading to the firing of head coach Leo Neiva, but it seems the fortunes are not getting any better, after another defeat.

Isma Kawawulo and Isaac Wagoina scored the goals for Express, which is coached by Vipers’ last year’s title winning coach Alex Isabirye.

After a tensely contested opening minutes, it was the home side who broke the deadlock, Kawawulo scoring on the second bite of the cherry with a curling effort from outside the box after an initial freekick had come off the wall.

Vipers attempted to come back before halftime, the closest being a long range effort from Bright Anukani which was punched away by the keeper.

In the second half, Vipers were off to a strong start with Yunus Sentamu coming close with a brilliant volleyed effort after some swift interchange of passes, but the ball bounced inches wide. They kept pushing but were unlucky not to level.

Against the run of play, Express made it 2-0 in the 76^th minute when Wagoina picked a long ball, wrong footed his marker and raced into the box, before shooting low past the keeper.

Vipers’ hopes of a comeback were unsuccessful, as they endured yet another difficult evening.

The defeat leaves them fourth in the standings with 24 points, eight behind leaders BUL who extended their lead on top with a 1-0 win over Busoga United.

Vipers fire coach Neiva 

Vipers SC sacked Brazilian coach Leo Neiva

Vipers are having a torrid season and just last week fired their Brazilian coach Neiva. He was fired following a spate of unsatisfactory results. A statement on the club’s website said the two parties had ended the contract on mutual consent.

Neiva becomes the second Vipers coach to be fired this season.

“Vipers Sports Club informs its stakeholders and general public that it has by mutual consent ended its contractual relationship with Mr. Leonard Martins Neiva (Head Coach) effective December 23rd, 2023. The club would like to thank Neiva for his services during his stay at the Venoms family and wishes him the best in his career development,” a statement from the club read.

Neiva joined Vipers in July, after his predecessor Isabirye also left the club.

There were reports that frustration was mounting among the club’s management with Neiva’s general performance following defeats by major rivals KCCA FC and subsequently BUL FC.

Neiva had presided over a failed CAF Champions League campaign where they got eliminated at the first preliminary stage by Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy which was his primary role.

KCCA keep their winning run 

KCCA FC players celebrate after their win

Meanwhile, it is an opposite rundown of events for their arch rivals. After a difficult start to the 2023-24 Ugandan Premier League, former champions Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) have finished the year in the top half of the standings with a 2-1 victory over Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF).

The victory was KCCA’s third in a row and fourth in five games, continuing their resurgence to move into eighth place in the standings with 16 points, only four shy of the top five.

Captain Filbert Obenchan scored a second half winner, to aid KCCA into the win, their second away from home this season. Obenchan struck a blinder from distance, just few minutes after the men from the military had drawn level.

KCCA had started the game well and as early as the eight minute had the first real chance at goal, with Shabaan Muhammad being dragged down by the UPDF keeper at the edge of the box, but the ensuing freekick rolled across the face of goal.

They broke the deadlock after 20 minutes when Ashraf Mugume struck a brilliant shot into the roof of the net off a Joel Sserunjogi cross from the right.

They would take the lead till halftime but upon the restart, UPDF got back on level terms when Faridi Rashid nodding home a header from close range.

However, KCCA were back in the mix minutes later courtesy of Obenchan’s beauty of a strike.