Defending champions Vipers SC produced a ruthless display on Tuesday night, sweeping aside Pajule Lions with a resounding 6-0 victory to secure their place in the Round of 16 of the Stanbic Uganda Cup.
Under the floodlights at St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, the Venoms controlled the contest from the opening whistle, overwhelming the visitors with a relentless attacking performance that left little room for resistance.
The breakthrough came almost immediately. Just six minutes into the encounter, Karim Watambala gave Vipers the perfect start when he powered home from close range after meeting a precise long delivery from Rogers Torach.
With confidence growing, the hosts continued to dominate possession and territory. Their pressure yielded a second goal in the 20th minute when Usama Arafat pounced on a defensive lapse, firing a quick snapshot beyond the Pajule Lions goalkeeper to double the advantage.
Vipers looked dangerous every time they surged forward, and Milton Karisa nearly added another shortly afterwards. In the 25th minute, the forward brilliantly rounded the goalkeeper, only to see his effort dramatically cleared off the line by a scrambling defender.
The home side, however, would not be denied for long. Watambala returned to the spotlight in the 33rd minute, completing his brace after reacting quickest to a rebound when Nicholas Wadada struck the woodwork.
The midfielder showed composure to finish neatly with a half-volley and extend Vipers’ grip on the match.
Karisa eventually found his reward just before the halftime whistle. The forward curled in a simple free-kick after the Pajule Lions goalkeeper misjudged his defensive wall, sending Vipers into the interval with a comfortable four-goal lead.
The pattern of play remained unchanged after the restart, with the hosts maintaining their dominance. Seven minutes into the second half, Karisa struck again, controlling the ball superbly before powering past his marker and finishing confidently to make it five.
Vipers wrapped up the emphatic win late on when Gusto Mulongo added the sixth. With three minutes remaining, he reacted fastest inside the penalty area to convert another dangerous delivery from Wadada, putting the finishing touch on a one-sided contest.
The comprehensive victory offers a timely morale boost for the Kitende outfit, who had drawn their previous two Uganda Premier League matches, while keeping their Uganda Cup title defence firmly on course.
