Record Uganda Cup champions Express suffered a stunning Round of 32 exit from the 51st edition of the competition after falling 1-0 to West Nile Regional League side Total FC at Swinga Stadium in Yumbe on Wednesday.
The Red Eagles, who have won the tournament ten times, saw their bid for an 11th title cut short in a dramatic upset.
A solitary goal was enough for Total to send the Uganda Premier League outfit packing in one of the shocks that the competition always delivers.
The Red Eagles become the second UPL side to be knocked out of this year’s Uganda Cup, following Mbale Heroes’ 3-2 loss to Simba in the round of 64.
This defeat also marks their third consecutive loss in a week, following two league defeats; a 2-0 loss to BUL last Wednesday and a 1-0 setback against traditional rivals SC Villa on Saturday.
Speaking of SC Villa, the Jogoos progressed to the round of 16 after overcoming a resilient Simba side 1-0 at Namulonge Playground in Gayaza.
Aslam Ssemakula struck the all-important goal in the 50th minute, finishing off a well-weighted pass from Frank Mulimi to break the deadlock in a tightly contested affair.
Despite Simba’s spirited resistance, Villa held firm to seal their spot in the next round, building on their previous 3-0 victory over Seeta United in the previous round.
With this win, the Jogoos, nine-time Uganda Cup winners, remain in contention to match the joint record of 10 titles held by Express and KCCA.
The round of 32 action continues on Thursday, February 20, with another set of fixtures.
Among the key matchups, defending champions Kitara will travel to face CATDA in Kibuli, while Vipers SC host Mbarara City at Kitende in a high-profile encounter.
The eventual Uganda Cup winner will earn a spot to represent Uganda in the CAF Confederation Cup.
