Bright Stars vs Vipers: Venoms out to close gap on top spot

Uganda Premier League 
Bright Stars FC vs Vipers SC 
Kavumba Recreational Grounds
Tuesday, 21-12-2021 @3pm

Vipers have had to play the role of the chaser since the season started.

The Venoms have trailed leaders KCCA FC for the better part of the season, so far and find themselves four points off the pace.

Tuesday’s fixture gives Roberto Oliviera’s side a chance to close the gap to just a point with KCCA only in action on Wednesday at home to defending champions Express FC.

Despite holding an impressive record against the Stars, the Venoms should expect a turf encounter to negotiate.

Lately, they have been getting the job done but not in a convincing manner save for the 4-1 victory away to Busoga United on match-day 10.

With the influential pair of Yunus Ssentamu and Ceaser Manzoki leading the line, the Venoms will be confident about getting the job done.

For the Stars, they are still in search of momentum that will kick-start their season.

Currently on a four-game winless run, Simon Peter Mugerwa’s side come into the game knowing that they need to start winning games so as to starting climbing out of the relegation dog-fight.

However, it will be very hard to stop a Vipers’ side who sights are set on the crown, this season.

Bright Stars are expected to name the same squad of players that travelled to Jinja over the weekend. Emmanuel Loki has returned to training but he is not fit to feature. James Angu who has been away due to school commitments is expected to return after the Christmas break.

Vipers are expected to be without assistant coach Marcelo Cardoso who is understood to have flown out of the country for personal reasons. Lawrence Tezikya, Richard Basangwa and Umar Kyebatala remain the long term absentees for the Venoms.

This will be the 16th meeting between the two sides since the first in November 2013. Vipers have dominated this fixture in the past, winning it eight times and drawing the other seven. Vipers come into Tuesday’s game having won all of the last four matches against Bright Stars. At Kavumba, the Venoms have won all of their last two matches there including the 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture last season.