Uganda Premier League
Maroons FC vs Express FC
Luzira Prisons’ Stadium, Luzira
Thursday, 05-03-2020 @4pm
Express FC may be without captain Disan Ggaliwango for the game away to Maroons on Thursday.
The left-back is understood to have been sick in the build up to the encounter.
With Ggaliwango, at least not expected to feature from the on-set, Mathais Muwanga will most likely take on the skipper’s role on the day.
The Red Eagles will definitely be without the services of Hamdan Nsubuga, Josua Ssetambule, Edrisa Kaye and Joshua Adea who were all shown the exit door last week. The dour are understood to have had their contracts terminated by the club and will have to move on as free agents.
Express FC had a decent start to life under Wasswa Bbosa, losing only once in their first four games (W2 D1).
The loss during that period came in a penalty shootout defeat to Maroona in the Uganda Cup following a 3-3 draw during normal time.
Their last game saw them fall 2-1 at home to URA FC and will be hoping to return to winning ways on Thursday against a side that dumped them out of the cup last month.
Speaking ahead of the game, Wasswa Bbosa outlines victory a the most important aspect and also rallies the fans to come support their team.
“The most important thing is winning tomorrow because we have had a full week to prepare, said Bbosa.
“We request our fans to come and support us as they are our 12 player and with them, the hope is high we can get the job done.
“Let us pray that tomorrow, all our players are in good shape to help us get the victory.”
Express FC will start the day in 12th position after accumulating 28 points from 24 games.
They currently sit six points above the relegation zone and will be hoping to move further clear against a side that sides a spot below them on the log.
For Maroons, times are not good at the Luzira based side as the team is increasingly likely to be dragged into the relegation dog-fight.
After a good start to the season that saw them climb as high as 3rd at some point, things have gone extremely south.
The team can not win a league game at the moment and have slumped closer to the relegation zone than any other side currently out of the bottom three.
In their last outing, they were thumped 5-0 by champions-elect Vipers SC last week, leaving them just two points off the bottom three.
The situation has led to speculation that current head coach Douglas Bamweyana may be sacked anytime soon and an emergency meeting was held last week by the board members with the former Express FC and SC Villa’s coach’s future top on the agenda.
Whether a loss at home to Express will be the last throw of the dice remains to be seen but Bamweyana is indeed living on borrowed time.
Match Facts
This will be the 13th meeting between the two sides since October 2010.
In their previous 12 match-ups, Express have won five, Maroons two with the other five all ending in draws.
Despite winning on penalties last month, Maroons have not defeated Express in normal time in any of their last 9 match-ups (D5 L4).
Both of last season’s meetings ended in a 1-1 draw before they two again shared spoils in a 2-2 draw in the first meeting this campaign.
Maroons heads into the contest without victory in their last six league games (D1 L5).
At home, they have won just one of their last six encounters (D2 L3).
For Maroons, they head into the game having lost only one of their last four games (W2 D1).
However, the Red Eagles have won just one of their past six away games (D2 L3).
