Uganda Premier League
SC Villa vs Police FC
Kavumba Recreation Grounds
Friday, 29-10-2021 @3pm
SC Villa will start their 2021 StarTimes Uganda Premier League campaign on Friday, October 29 at home to Police FC.
The Jogoos have had issues with the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) regarding their administration hence resulting to omission from the earlier draft fixtures.
However, the issues are understood to have been sorted and they will kick-off action on Friday.
The record league winners have endured an overhaul of sorts with several personal including both the technical team and players leaving, in the last couple of months.
Greek tactician Petros Koukouras has since taken over from Edward Kaziba as the club’s head coach and will work with new back-room staff.
The Jogoos have also brought-in over ten players and let go of several others.
This all is in attempt to try and ensure the club is competitive again after struggling at the wrong end of the table, last season.
It is going to take some effort from the new players and technical team to ensure that is achieved and their first task comes in form of a Police side that is desperate the season.
The Cops have started the campaign with three losses and will be hoping their fortunes will take a turn for the best at Kavumba.
Abdallah Mubiru’s charges have already lost to Vipers SC, BUL FC and Wakiso Giants and will be out to change that poor run of results.
Most of their new players have now acquired licenses which is a huge boost to a side that finished in the top half last season.
Villa will be without long-term absentees Charles Bbale and Abdallah Ssekandi who are expected to miss the entire season. Isma Mugulusi is a game-time decision as he has been struggling with injury. The Jogoos will also be without Ronald Ssekiganda who is still recovering for a lengthy layoff. Nicholas Kabonge who got injured in pre-season has fully recovered and will definitely take part in Friday.
Police are expected to continue being without captain Tonny Mawejje who got injured in the loss to Vipers on match-day one. Johnson Odong has recovered for career threatening injury but might not be fit to feature on Friday. Police have sorted their licensing issues and will be expected to name a host of new signings in the squad.
This is the 23rd meeting between the two sides since November 2010. In the previous 22 meetings, Villa have won six, Police three with the other 13 all ending in draws. The two sides have draw all of their last six matches in all competitions with neither club failing to score in that period. Police last won a game away to Villa on October 8th 2013 in a 2-1 victory. Since then, they have lost once and drawn the other six encounters. Last season, the two sides drew in both their league encounters including a 2-2 score line in the reverse fixture.
