Uganda Premier League
Vipers SC vs SC Villa
St. Mary’s Stadium
Wednesday, 02-02-2022
Vipers SC will be hoping to take over top spot in the Uganda Premier League when they host SC Villa at Kitende on Tuesday.
The Venoms start the day one point behind leaders KCCA FC with both sides having played 14 games.
The game against Villa should’ve come earlier in the season but it was postponed as the Jogoos were yet to secure a licence to take part in the top tier.
Before the three-week break, Roberto Oliviera’s side had gone two games without victory and they will be desperate for three points against the Jogoos. They lost 1-0 away to Arua Hill SC before conceding in stoppage time in the draw at home to BUL.
The results did not settle well with the Vipers’ faithful and they are eager to return to winning ways.
Usually ruthless at home, the Venoms have are yet to hit full gear this campaign having won only four of their seven games at Kitende, so far.
For Villa, they also went into the break on the back of two games without victory. They lost 1-0 at Bright Stars before drawing 0-0 against UPDF FC.
Only four wins all campaign have seen Petros Koukouras’ side sit 11th on the log with just 16 points from 14 games.
Against Vipers, Villa know that they need to present their A game to take anything away from Kitende.
Vipers will be without the duo of Bobosi Byaruhanga and Ibrahim Orit who are both nursing injuries sustained on national team duty. Lawrence Tezikya and Umar Kyebatala are long-term absentees. Defender Hilary Mukundane and playmaker Frank Tumwesigye are in line to make their debuts following their recent transfers to the club.
SC Villa will be without defender Kenneth Ssemakula who is having health complications. Captain Meddie Kibirige is recovering from a broken finger and not expected to feature. The trio of new recruits in Bernard Agele, Shafik Bakaki and Saddam Juma are yet to secure licences and thus not expected to play.
This is the 27th meeting between the two sides since November 2010. Vipers have been dominate in this fixture, winning 13 of the past 27 meetings, losing just four with the other 10 ending in draws. The Venoms head into Wednesday’s game unbeaten in their last four matches against Villa (W3 D1). Villa’s last victory over Vipers was in a 1-0 win back in January 2020. Last season, Vipers took four points off Villa including one in the 1-1 draw at Kitende.
