Today
SC Villa vs URA Masaka Recreation Grounds
Kampala side SC Villa make the arduous trip to their ‘home ground’ in Masaka three days after their 1-0 victory against Vipers guaranteed them second place finish in the league. The Joogos host fourth-placed URA with the tax collectors hoping they can pip Vipers for third place if the latter stumbles tomorrow.
URA fc are just a point behind Vipers with Azam Uganda Premier League entering its last round.
Team News
Villa will be without Emmanuel Okwi as the striker serves the last of his three-game ban for unsportsmanlike conduct against Soana at Kavumba after he fought with Siraje Ssentamu.
The Joogos, who may give a chance to non-first team players, will miss the services of Alex Kitata, Paul Mbowa and Vitalis Tabu.
The tax collectors, on the other hand, will be without veteran striker Hamis ‘Diego’ Kiiza. The striker has joined Sudanese giants El Hilal after a short stint with URA during which he played 10 matches, scoring six times.
Villa at home
Only Villa and Onduparaka are still unbeaten at home in the league this season. SC Villa’s last loss playing at home was last season on May 6, when they went down 1-0 to KCCA.
The league record champions has managed to score in all home games this season; 29 goals from 14 home matches.
Villa has only drawn four home matches this season; 1-1 with Soana at Namboole, 2-2 with Lweza at Nakivubo, 1-1 with KCCA and 2-2 with Police, both in Masaka.
URA on the road
URA has conceded the least number of goals this season playing away from home. The club has shipped in only 10 goals. The tax collectors have also won four of their last six away matches in the league.
The tax collectors have played 14 away matches this season, winning six, drawing seven and losing once (to Vipers).
Head to Head
Villa’s last win playing at home against URA was way back in 2014, a 1-0 victory thanks to Steven Bengo’s goal at Ssaza Grounds.
SC Villa has only beaten URA twice from their previous 10 league encounters, losing four and drawing the other four.
When the two sides met int he first round of the league this season at Mehta grounds in Lugazi, Jimmy Kulaba’s late strike denied Villa maximum points as the game ended 2-2. Scvilla were still under Shafiq Bisaso while URA were under Keffa Kisaala.
Previous Meetings
- Friday, October 3, 2014: SC Villa 1-0 URA
- Friday, April 10, 2015 URA fc 1-1 SC Villa
- Friday, August 28, 2015: SC Villa 1-1 URA
- Sunday, May 15, 2016: URA 3-0 Villa
- Tuesday, December 6, 2016: URA 2-2 SC Villa
Did you know?
- Only KCCA has scored more league goals than these two sides; Villa has scored 45 goals, URA 39 goals.
Players to watch
- SC Villa will rest their chances on Umar Kasumba. The wasteful striker managed to find his scoring boots in their previous match against Vipers.
- URA hope in Masaka rest on the shoulders of creative midfielder Shafiq Kagimu, who has scored eight goals in the league this season. However, Villa defenders will also be wary of Bokota Labama Kamana, who is back on form and scored the winner against Bright Stars in Lugazi on Tuesday.
Discussion about this post