Allan Okello proved to be the difference-maker as his late goal secured Vipers SC a spot in the FUFA Super 8 final with a 1-0 victory over the Uganda Cranes Select Team.
The semi-final clash played at the MTN Omondi Stadium in Lugogo on Sunday remained goalless until the third minute of added time, when Okello’s moment of brilliance sent the Venoms through.
Vipers dominated much of the match. Allan Okello, in particular, had been a constant threat throughout the match, having created a number of chances, including two well-executed free kicks, but failed to convert.
However, in the dying moments of the game, Vipers’ captain Milton Karisa threaded a perfect pass into the box, and Okello kept his composure to calmly slot the ball past Cranes’ goalkeeper Bashir Ssekagya and secure the win.
With this win, Vipers advance to the FUFA Super 8 final, where they will face BUL, who secured their place in the final after a 1-0 victory over Kitara in the other semifinal on Saturday.
The final, set for August 31 at Lugogo, promises to be a historic encounter as both teams seek to become the first to win the tournament twice.
Vipers last claimed the Super 8 title in 2019, while BUL lifted the trophy in 2023, and are the defending champions.
It will also be the third time in three years that Vipers and BUL face off in a major final.
Vipers will be eager to add to their 2019 Super 8 triumph, and their dominant 8-1 victory over BUL in the 2021 Stanbic Uganda Cup final.
However, BUL will seek to replicate their 2022 Uganda Cup success, where they defeated Vipers 3-1 to win their first-ever manor title.
Meanwhile, KCCA edged Maroons in a FUFA Super 8 ranking match in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw in normal time, despite the former playing the entire second half with ten men following the dismissal of Mustafa Mujuzi.
KCCA will now face NEC in the battle for fifth place, while Maroons will take on Villa for seventh place on August 30.
