The burdens of scoring still blur the bright image of Uganda’s football.
Recently, the Cranes scored just a goal as the nation bowed out of the Africa Nations Championship at the group stages for a fourth straight time.
The latest of that worry came on Saturday when only five goals were scored in seven matches as the Azam Uganda Premier League second round commenced.
Vipers, Masavu, UPDF, BUL and Kirinya-Jinja SS all scored just once on Match Day 16.
League leaders SC Villa could not find the back of the net at home to Maroons, same as Police against Mbarara City in Namboole.
And so was Onduparaka against six-time champions Express at the Betway Green Light Stadium in Arua.
The Caterpillars drew for the fourth time in eight home matches this season but this came at the expense of their bluntness in front of goal.
Nine chances fell between Ezra Bida, Yafesi Mubiru, captain Gadaffi Anguzu and Ceaser Okhuti but all went begging.
The point, which took their tally to 26 from 16 matches, did not seem satisfactory even if Onduparaka has never lost to Express in four meetings.
“They came with a target to pick a point,” Onduparaka’s coach Leo Adraa told this website. “(But)... You cannot judge a club from one match. We’ll correct the mistakes.”
Onduparaka will now pursue goals when the team visits second-placed Vipers at the St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Tuesday.
In Arua, coaches Adraa and Livingstone Mbabazi opted to keep forwards Ceaser Okhuti, Moses Ndawula and Karim Ndugwa on the bench but they could opt for one to start in Kitende.
Vipers look to be rejuvenated with striker Daniel Sserunkuma. The new signing from Express was off the mark on his debut with the winner over Soana after 87 minutes in Kavumba.
Vipers’ coach Jorge da Costa has not lost trust in Milton Karisa, who is the joint-lead goal scorer with Sserunkuma and departed Police forward Hood Kaweesa on seven goals.
AZAM UGANDA PREMIER LEAGUE
MATCH DAY 16
SC Villa 0-0 Maroons
Soana 0-1 Vipers
Onduparaka 0-0 Express
Police 0-0 Mbarara City
Masavu 1-1 UPDF
BUL 1-0 URA
Proline 0-1 Kirinya-Jinja SS
MATCH DAY 17
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13
Vipers vs. Onduparaka, Kitende
Express vs. BUL, Wankulukuku
Kirinya Jinja vs. Police, Jinja
UPDF vs. Proline, Bombo
URA vs. Bright Stars, Namboole
Mbarara City vs. Soana, Kakyeka
Maroons vs. Masavu, Luzira
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15
KCCA vs. SC Villa, Lugogo
TOP SCORERS
7 goals: Hood Kaweesa (Police*), Milton Karisa and Daniel Sserunkuma (Vipers)
6 goals: Muhammad Shaban (KCCA), Nelson Senkatuka (Bright Stars), Fahad Bayo (Proline)
TABLE STANDINGS
Team P W D L F A Pts
SC Villa 16 10 5 1 16 6 33
KCCA FC 15 8 5 2 28 9 29
Vipers SC 16 8 5 3 19 11 29
Onduparaka 16 7 5 4 14 11 26
Police 16 7 4 5 17 13 25
Maroons 16 4 10 2 11 11 22
Kirinya Jinja 16 6 4 6 12 14 21
Bul 16 6 3 7 10 13 21
URA 16 5 5 6 14 11 20
Mbarara City 16 4 8 4 8 10 20
Bright Stars 15 4 7 4 10 11 19
Soana 16 5 4 7 8 16 19
Proline 16 5 2 9 17 19 17
Masavu 16 4 3 9 10 26 15
Express 16 3 3 10 8 14 12
UPDF 16 2 5 9 14 24 11