StarTimes Uganda premier league
Monday, 4pm
Onduparaka vs SC Villa, Arua
Onduparaka entertains Sports Club Villa at the Green light stadium in Arua this hot Monday afternoon seeking to have a high end to their StarTimes Uganda premier league first round.
Many talking points await the much anticipated clash; with the hosts’ goal keeper Wasswa Yusuf and winger Abdul Malik Tabu Vitalis facing former employers.
Victory for either side will be important to settle in third place as they close down on the two clubs ahead – leaders Vipers (34 points) and second placed BUL (28 points).
Coming to Monday’s only game in the league, SC Villa are third with 24 points from 13 matches, a point above 4th placed Onduparaka that have played 14 matches.
The game is expected to draw a mammoth crowd and the due attention because it is the only match on the menu.
The Caterpillars have only lost once at home this season -against URA but in the 16-time record champions, they face a side hungry for points after being held by BUL FC in the last fixture.
The Jogoos are the side that handed Onduparaka their first premier league home loss -ending their 4-year unbeaten home run. Godfrey Lwesibawa scored the only goal that gave Coach Wasswa Bbosa a 1-0 victory in 2018.
“It is a big game for us. I have bad feelings for SC Villa but I now work for Onduparaka and I look forward for victory,” noted Wasswa, who has remarkably kept 8 clean sheets this season.
SC Villa welcome left back Yayo Lutimba from suspension but miss center back and Uganda U20 captain Garvin Kizito, who is still writing his UACE exams at St Mary’s SS, Kitende.
The visitors will also not have their head coach Edward Kaziba, who travelled with the Crested Cranes to Tanzania for the ongoing Cecafa Women senior challenge Cup. His assistant Ibrahim Kirya will this be in full control of proceedings.
The hosts on the other hand welcome back head coach Livingstone Mbabazi who was with the Uganda Cranes as a second assistant to Jonathan McKinstry in the Sunday’s 2-0 home win against Malawi at Namboole in the Total Afcon 2021 qualifiers.
The former Uganda Cranes play maker missed trip to his former bosses Mbarara City in the last game as the West Nile side lost 2-1 at Kakyeka stadium.
The last season corresponding fixture ended 2-1 in favor of the hosts as the Caterpillars completed a first ever double against Jogoos. Captain (then) Rashid Toha with the fastest goal of the season gave a 1-0 away victory to Onduparaka from a free kick at Namboole stadium in the first round.
