SC Villa marched into the quarter-finals of the Stanbic Uganda Cup after a narrow 1-0 victory over Lugazi FC in Najjembe.
A crucial second-half goal from Reagan Mpande proved enough to separate the two sides, bringing an end to Lugazi’s unbeaten tournament run while also marking Villa’s third straight win in all competitions.
The game kicked off with Lugazi pressing aggressively, determined to unsettle their opponents.
Early attempts from Hussein Ssenonga and Frank Mulimi tested Villa’s defense, but goalkeepers Meddie Kibirige and Matovu stood firm.
Aslam Ssemakula also came close to breaking the deadlock after a defensive lapse but failed to convert.
Villa, too, had their chances, with a notable blunder from Lugazi’s Juma Mutebi gifting Sula Matovu a golden opportunity, only for him to misfire.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 53rd minute when Mpande capitalized on a defensive mix-up to fire Villa into the lead.
Lugazi pushed for an equalizer, with substitute Ian Amannya nearly leveling matters after being set up by Sharif Saaka, but his effort went off target.
With the Uganda Cup campaign over, Lugazi FC will now redirect their focus to the Uganda Premier League, where they prepare to face Maroons on matchday 21. SC Villa, on the other hand, eagerly awaits the quarter-final draw while shifting attention to an upcoming league showdown against Vipers.
Elsewhere, BUL FC delivered a dominant 7-0 win over Total FC, reinforcing their cup ambitions.
Villa joins Kitara, BUL FC, and Police FC in the last eight, setting the stage for an exciting finish to the tournament.
