KCCA FC entered the top four for the first time this season after grinding out a 1-0 victory over UPDF at the MTN Omondi Stadium on Tuesday.
And they needed a Muhammad Shaban 41st minute penalty to prevail over the hard-fighting soldiers in a game Pilsner Man of the Match, Peter Magambo, stood out in defence to ensure a clean sheet.
The 13-time national champions had a dreadful first round of the season under Portuguese coach Sergio Traguil but have since put in a spirited second part of the second round under Abdallah Mubiru.
KCCA have since worked their way up the Ugandan Premier League table, with their 14th win in 26 matches moving them to fourth on 45 points, just above SC Villa on goal difference. They have, however, also played one match more than Villa.
On their part, UPDF’s relegation battles just got compounded. The Soldiers drop to second from bottom on 21 points, four off safety with only three games left to save the rather dire situation.
In the other relegation skirmish, Gaddafi kept the fight on, beating visiting Maroons 3-1 in Jinja to just hang in there.Rashid Mpaata, David Bagoole and Steven Munguchi netted for the hosts while Tusuubira Kakensa got Maroons consolation.
Gaddafi’s only sixth win in 26 matches moves them one place up to 14th on 22 points but they stay in the bottom three with as many games left.
Elsewhere, Mbarara and URA could only play out a goalless draw at Kakyeka Stadium. URA remain eighth on 36 points while Mbarara are just two places below on 31.
- UPL official website.