Vipers SC climbed to the top of the Uganda Premier League table with a polished and authoritative 2-0 victory over Mbarara City under the lights at St Maryโs Stadium, Kitende.
Second-half composure and first-half precision proved decisive as the Venoms tightened their grip on the contest, with Allan Okello and Karim Watambala finding the net to secure a deserved three points. The result marked Vipersโ eighth win from 11 league outings, underlining their title credentials as the season gathers momentum.
THREE POINTS TO START 2026 โ #VIPMBR || #VenomsUpdates || #OneTeamOneDream || pic.twitter.com/QhLxFHs31y
โ ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ (@VipersSC) January 6, 2026
The breakthrough arrived eight minutes before halftime when referee Diana Murungi pointed to the spot following an incident involving Mbarara City goalkeeper Fahad Emuran and Milton Karisa. Stepping up with confidence, Okello shrugged off memories of a previous penalty miss for Uganda Cranes against Tanzania at AFCON, calmly dispatching the effort despite Emuran diving the right way.
Vipers wasted little time extending their advantage after the restart. Just five minutes into the second half, Mbarara Cityโs high defensive line was ruthlessly exposed. Karim Watambala pounced on a costly error from Mulambuzi, stealing possession and rolling the ball into an unguarded net to double the hostsโ lead.
From there, the Venoms managed the game with maturity, limiting Mbarara City to speculative efforts and half-chances. Still reeling from the dismissal of head coach Simon Peter Mugerwa in November, the visitors lacked cohesion and cutting edge, and their frustrations were compounded by defensive lapses and the contentious penalty decision.
Back to club duties last night with a win. Happy New Year to you all Venoms ๐โค๏ธ pic.twitter.com/o0R5W5FO2F
โ Allan Okello (@AllanOkello8) January 7, 2026
With this win, and a game still in hand, Vipers move clear at the top of the standings on 27 points, edging one ahead of KCCA, who slipped to a 2-0 defeat against Police FC. For the Kitende-based side, the message is clear: momentum is building, and the summit now belongs to them.
