Saturday, February 13
*SC Villa vs MYDA FC – Bombo Military Barracks Stadium (Live on Sanyuka TV)
*Vipers SC vs UPDF FC -St. Mary’s Stadium
*Bright Stars FC vs Kitara FC – Kavumba Recreation Stadium
Team news
•Vipers will still be without several youngsters who are in Mauritania with the National U20 side including the likes of Najib Yiga, Ivan Asaba, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Aziz Kayondo and Richard Basangwa.
•Two more youngsters, Travis Mutyaba and Jumbe Fahad are with the U17 side that is in Njeru.
•Apart from the Youngsters, the Venoms are understood to have a full strength squad to choose from on Saturday.
•Strikers Dan Sserunkuma and Shaban Mohammad are yet to feature since the league resumed and will be pushing for starts.
•Paul Willa, Fabien Mutombora, Karim Watambala and Ibrahim Orit all started in mid week and will also be hoping to maintain their spots ahead of those that blew away MYDA FC7-0 in the Venoms last home game.
•For UPDF, they will be without Vipers loanees Brian Kalumba and Ibrahim Tembo who are ineligible to feature.
•Former Vipers striker Davis Kasirye has had fitness issues but will also be pushing for a start if he passes a late fitness test.
•Bernard Muwanga, Eric Kibowa, Arafat Kakonge and Alex Kitata who just like Kasirye, were signed in January are hoping for their respective debuts for the Army side.
Probable Line-ups
Vipers SC XI – Fabien Mutombora, Joseph Dhata, Disan Galiwango, Rashid Toha, Halid Lwaliwa, Siraje Ssentamu, Karim Watambala, David Bagoole, Ibrahim Orit, Paul Mucurezi, Yunus Ssentamu.
UPDF FC XI – Wasswa Yusuf, Bright Jospeh, Isa Mubiru, Bernard Muwanga, Ssekitoleko Denis, Ibrahim Wamaanah, Ezekiel Katende, Zzinda Hussein, Alex Kitata, Seif Bate, Dickens Okwir.
Preview
Vipers will be eyeing all three points that would take them top of the summit for the first time this season.
The Venoms who are still unbeaten this campaign, currently sit in third spot, two points adrift of leaders Police FC who beat Kyetume on Friday.
Coming into the game, Fred Kajoba’s side are on the back of a hard fought 1-1 draw with Express FC, their second stalemate of the season.
However, they have won all two of their opening home games by an aggregate score line of 9-1. Their last game at Kitende saw them thrash MYDA 7-0 and they will be confident they can take care of UPDF.
For UPDF, they have so far been the surprise package of the top flight this campaign.
Having been promoted at the start of the season, the Army side led the standings going into the league break.
Four victories and a loss saw them collect 12 points from five games and will take back top spot if they can somehow overcome the Venoms at Kitende.
Task do not come any tougher than a trip to Kitende and Kefa Kisala’s side knows they must give their best so as to get anything from the game.
“We shall give our best against Vipers at Kitende. Said Kisala ahead of the game.
“The players have been prepared mentally and physically.”
The Stats
This will be just the third meeting between the two sides since 2017.
In the past two match-ups, Vipers are yet to lose to UPDF FC, winning once and drawing as many.
The last meeting between the two sides ended 4-1 in favour of the Venoms, a result that saw them crowned the 2017/18 champions and also condemned UPDF to relegation.
