Vipers have etched their name into Ugandan football history, defeating rivals KCCA 2-0 on Saturday, May 31, to lift the 2024/25 Stanbic Uganda Cup and complete a domestic double for the second time in just three seasons.
Played at the newly-constructed FUFA Stadium, Kadiba, the final delivered on its billing as a clash of titans.
But it was the Venoms who proved sharper, hungrier, and ultimately more clinical, securing their fourth Uganda Cup crown and becoming the first team to win a competitive match at the new stadium.
Defender Livingstone Mulondo gave Vipers a dream start just five minutes in, writing his name into the history books with the first-ever goal at Kadiba.
The centre-back pounced on a rebound after KCCA failed to clear Allan Okello’s corner, sending Vipers fans into early jubilation.
The Kasasiro Boys then tried to equalise, but Vipers’ defensive solidity ensured that the game went into halftime with them leading.
Seven minutes into the second half, KCCA nearly equalised when midfielder Ashraf Mugume unleashed a thunderbolt that rattled the crossbar and bounced onto the line, but luck favoured the Venoms.
Things went from bad to worse for the Kasasiro Boys, as Yunus Sentamu doubled the lead for Vipers in the 57th minute, volleying home a loose ball after Peter Magambo’s failed clearance.
From there, the Venoms managed the game with maturity, anchored by the commanding presence of goalkeeper Denis Kiggundu, whose assured performance ensured they kept a clean sheet.
In fact, en route to the Cup title, Vipers conceded just one goal throughout the competition, and Kiggundu received the accolade for best goalkeeper in the tournament for that.
Vipers’ path to the final was anything but easy. The Venoms had to navigate past a tough draw, eliminating Mbarara City, SC Villa, and defending champions Kitara.
Saturday’s triumph was also a measure of revenge for Fred Muhumuza and John Ayala Luyinda’s side, who had lost their last Uganda Cup final against KCCA back in 2018.
This time, they returned the favour in style and on the biggest stage possible.
The victory also means Vipers will represent Uganda in the CAF Champions League next season.
With KCCA falling short, NEC, the runners-up in the Uganda Premier League, will now step into the CAF Confederation Cup slot.
The win completes a glittering season for Vipers, who earlier secured their seventh Uganda Premier League title.
More significantly, they have now claimed both the new Uganda Premier League and Uganda Cup trophies, both rebranded and reintroduced this season.
KCCA, meanwhile, leave Kadiba heartbroken. Their six-year trophy drought continues, and finishing fifth in the league only compounds what has been a disappointing campaign for Jackson Magera’s side.
