Defending Champions Vipers Soccer Club were denied a seventh straight victory in the Startimes Uganda Premier following their 1-0 defeat to Jinja-based Gadaffi Modern football club on Sunday.
Three points for the Venoms could have placed them at the top of the League table and also extended their winning streak to seven, but an early goal from Gaddafi’s Alex Kitaata saw them crumble in Jinja at the Kakindu Stadium.
Kitata converted from outside the box with a shot from long range that denied Vipers’ goalie -Alfred Mudekereza- a chance to react in the second minute after kick-off.
Vipers played without Yunus Sentamu -who is out nursing a groin injury- and failed at numerous intervals to level the scores against the army side that resorted to a solid defence than an aggressive attack.
The visitors were later forced into a first-half substitute that had Cromwell Rwothomio replaced by Nigerian forward Abubaker Lawal and later in the second half brought on Najib Yiga, and midfielder Marvin Youngman for Bright Anukani, and Karim Watambala respectively.
The changes proved fruitless for the Venoms in the final third, except for a few upsets and a yellow card caution later on Lawal, for a reckless tackle on Gadaffi’s Shafik Bakaki.
Alex Kitata now leads the top scorers’ chart at six goals, tieing with Vipers’ forward Yunus Sentamu and Bright Stars’ Nelson Senkatuuka, in Uganda’s top-flight league.
Vipers is only another victim of the 30-year-old’s targets having scored a hattrick against Bright Stars in November before scoring a lone goal last weekend as his side lost 2-1 to KCCA in Lugogo.
The win places Gadaffi football club seventh on the log with 15 points, and Vipers remain third with 20 points, one behind Wakiso Giants, and two behind top-seeded Kampala Capital City Authority.
In their next games, Gadaffi will be hosted by Maroons FC on the 7th at the Luzira Prisons ground, while Vipers face Onduparaka at the St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on the same day.
