MATCH REPORT: BUL 2-0 BUSOGA UNITED
Second half goals from Karim Ndugwa and Ibrahim Mugulusi were enough to give BUL a priceless 2-0 win over Busoga United on Friday, consolidating the Eastern Giants in the second place on the Uganda premier league log with 17 points.
Just as the second period looked to be running out, Ndugwa leapt to meet a beautifully weighted Ronald Otti cross from the left and head passed Michael Lutaaya in Busoga’s goal five minutes after the hour.
Following a goalless first half, Martin Aprem was introduced after the break and he got involved in the 76th-minute goal that sealed the result when he teed up Mugulusi who turned on his preferred left foot to curl the ball beyond Lutaaya’s reach.
The match started with a good momentum as attacks swung from end to end, but neither side possessed a cutting edge in the final third to make the breakthrough in the first half.
Busoga threatened as early as the second minute and almost scored when Dickson Niwamanya’s snapshot from range evaded everyone to sting the gloves of Emmanuel Kalyowa before the ball was cleared.
Four minutes later, BUL started to fire warning shots and their intent to win was made clear starting from the sixth minute going forward.
Pascal Ngobi was released in a shooting position by Ibrahim Kazindula near the area but his effort whistled slightly above the bar before the latter was denied from a free kick by the opponent’s goalkeeper.
Laban Tibita was Busoga’s brightest spark in the middle and the young man showed his talent as he picked up balls from their defense to his attackers quite often throughout the game.
However they struggled to beat Kalyowa in BUL’s goal as Nicholas Mwere’s carpet sweeping free kick was tamed before the lanky defender had another shot direct at the goalkeeper following a burst through on the left.
Their best chance of the game arrived after 57 minutes when Tibita engineered a quick, well-executed counter through Niwamanya that left Moses Logono one-on-one with Kalyowa inside the area, but Logono took too many touches before he slagishly put a harmless effort at the goalkeeper.
They paid for their wasted chances in 65th minute when BUL opened the scoring. Otti had all the time and space to weigh up his options, and he went for the head of Ndugwa who made no mistake to glide in a sweet header for his fifth goal of the season.
Substitute Aprem made his presence felt with an assist, picking up Mugulusi who opened his account this season with a cool and lovely finish with fourteen minutes left on the clock.
The result has stretched BUL’s unbeaten run at home to 11 league games since February, and the next league engagement will be away to Bright Stars next week at Kavumba recreation grounds on Tuesday.
Starting XI:
Emmanuel Kalyowa (GK), Walter Ochora, Ronald Otti, Aggrey Madoi, Ibrahim Kazindula (Hillary Onek 66′), Pascal Ngobi (George Kasonko 85′), Douglas Muganga (Martin Aprem 46′), Ibrahim Mugulusi, Jerome Kirya (Ibrahim Nsimbe 66′), Karim Ndugwa, Richard Wandyaka (Vincent Zziwa 85′).
Unused substitutes:
Saidi Keni (GK), Richard Ayiko.