Kitara continued to turn Royals Park, Butema into a difficult hunting ground, grinding out a narrow but deserved 1-0 victory over Express in a tense Uganda Premier League clash on Wednesday.
The Royals needed patience and resilience to subdue a stubborn Express side that arrived with a depleted squad of just 14 players but refused to roll over. For large spells, the visitors matched their hosts stride for stride, showing grit and organization despite the obvious limitations.
The opening half was a physical, stop-start affair, heavily influenced by the poor state of the pitch. Scorched by persistent heat, the surface was riddled with bare patches, denying both teams the chance to play with rhythm or fluency. Chances were scarce, and neither side managed to break the deadlock before the interval.
After the restart, Kitara raised the tempo and began to assert themselves. Their pressure finally paid off in the 56th minute when Patrick Kaddu, lurking where he does best, applied a simple close-range finish after neat work from Gadafi Wahab to put the Royals ahead.
Yesterday’s 1-0 home victory in photos. pic.twitter.com/tJLFpmk4XJ
— Kitara Football Club (The Royals) (@KitarafcHoima) January 29, 2026
Buoyed by the breakthrough, Kitara pushed for a second goal. John Byaruhanga came agonisingly close in the 65th minute but squandered a gilt-edged opportunity following a slick passing move that sliced open the Express defence.
To their credit, the Red Eagles fought until the final whistle, but a lack of cutting edge in the final third proved costly as Kitara held firm to secure all three points.
The win lifts Kitara to sixth on the table with 26 points from 13 matches, underlining their strong home form. Express, meanwhile, remain in 10th place with 15 points after 14 outings, left to rue a valiant effort that ultimately went unrewarded.
