SC Villa kept their pursuit of the league summit firmly on track with a composed 2-0 triumph over Maroons FC on Thursday evening at the FUFA Kadiba Stadium.
An explosive start and a late flourish defined the contest, as Frank Ssebufu struck within moments of kickoff before substitute Andrew Otim applied the finishing touch deep into stoppage time to secure maximum points for the Jogoos.
Fast out of the blocks
Villa needed just two minutes to stamp their authority on the encounter. The move began down the right flank, where Hassan Mubiru outpaced Godwin Kitagenda and delivered a teasing cut-back into the box. Though Aslam Ssemakula initially failed to connect cleanly, Geoffrey Gagganga’s involvement forced goalkeeper Richard Matovu into an awkward intervention.
Matovu could only punch the ball into a dangerous area, and Ssebufu reacted quickest, calmly slotting home from close range to hand the hosts an early advantage.
The visitors were dealt another setback moments later when Raymond Walugembe was forced off on a stretcher in the ninth minute following an injury. Rogers Kiwanuka came on as his replacement in an early reshuffle for Maroons.
Villa nearly doubled their lead in the 13th minute through Gagganga, whose ambitious long-range effort sailed off target. Despite enjoying spells of possession thereafter, Maroons struggled to carve open clear opportunities, lacking the cutting edge required to trouble the Villa backline.
2′ | Villa 1-0 Maroons | Frank Ssebufu ⚽#StarTimesUPL | #SCVMAR pic.twitter.com/hYMIigFmZ8
— FUFA Tv (@fufatv1) February 19, 2026
Missed chances and defensive heroics
Approaching the half-hour mark, Villa survived a nervy moment when poor handling by Matovu nearly gifted Patrick Jonah Kakande a goal. However, Nicholas Kigozi produced a timely goal-line clearance to preserve the lead.
Moments later, Najib Yiga opted to go it alone instead of squaring the ball for a better-placed teammate, firing into the side netting as Villa continued to threaten.
Second-half adjustments
After the break, Villa tweaked their setup. Elvis Ngonde was introduced for Yiga in a makeshift left-back role, while Reagan Mpande replaced Kakande to inject fresh energy into the attack.
Mpande had a golden opportunity in the 62nd minute after breaking through on goal, but his tame effort was comfortably gathered by Matovu.
The Maroons goalkeeper redeemed himself further minutes later, producing a sharp save to deny Mubiru, who once again left Kitagenda trailing before unleashing a fierce drive.
Incredible night back to winning ways ✨❤️Alhamudullilah
Thanks for the incredible support jogoos 👏🏿👏🏿 pic.twitter.com/NoDOxYSg7L— Mubiru Hassan (@MubiruHassanMH) February 19, 2026
Otim seals the deal
With time ticking away, Villa made another change as Otim replaced Ssebufu in the 84th minute. The substitute would have the final say.
Deep into added time, Mpande delivered a precise cross into the area, and Otim rose highest to power a header beyond Matovu, putting the result beyond doubt and sparking celebrations among the home supporters.
He opened the scoring and set the tone for the night, Ladies and Gentlemen, your man of the match. Frank Ssebuufu 🔥#StarTimesUPL | #SCVMAR pic.twitter.com/BXtH8a7Z8b
— SC Villa (@SCVillaJogoo) February 19, 2026
The victory lifts SC Villa to fourth place on 34 points, tightening the race at the top, while Maroons remain ninth on 18 points as they continue their search for consistency.
