StarTimes Uganda Premier League

Friday, November 22, 2019

Maroons FC v Vipers SC

Luzira Prisons Grounds | 4:00pm

Live on Sanyuka TV

Vipers SC will be seeking a swift return to winning ways after slipping against KCCA FC when we visit Maroons FC in a rescheduled StarTimes Uganda Premier League (UPL) fixture at the Luzira Prisons grounds tomorrow as we wind up the first round.

Its a fixture of great importance to the club ambitions as a win enables us to become round one winners irrespective of the results elsewhere thus it ought to be treated with much caution and determination.

Ahead of this league tie, its going to the be the 13th meeting between the two clubs with Vipers in command having won 8, drawn 4 without any loss in the previous 12 hence the lads must fight to maintain that dominance.

The Opposition:

Maroons are lying 7th on the league log with 19 points from 14 matches, they have scored 18 goals against 21 and have not been in good form despite being able to score in each of their last games save SC Villa which ended in a barren stalemate.

They come into this contest on the back of a 3-2 loss against Proline FC in their last fixture and will be without current leading scorer Steven Mukwala who is on loan from Vipers as well as first choice goal keeper Hannington Ssebwalunyo who is suspended.

The prison warders have managed to win just one of the last six games and that was last month when they beat Police FC 2-1 at home.

They have since drawn with Busoga United FC, Wakiso Giants FC, Express FC and lost 3-2 to Proline FC on Tuesday.

Admittedly, statistics favour the Venoms but it won’t be a stroll in the park as we face a wounded opponent especially at home where they will also be aiming to get back to their winning ways.

Last meeting at Luzira

Maroons 1-2 Vipers

The corresponding fixture at the Prisons grounds in Luzira, saw Vipers rallying from down after Pius Obuya put Maroons in the lead before Davis Kasirye and Moses Waiswa scored for a 2-1 victory.

However, in the last 5 meetings at the Prisons grounds, Vipers stand tall with 3 wins and 2 draws thus Maroons will be seeking for a first victory over the Venoms.

Last 5 matches at Maroons

2018/19:- Maroons 1-2 Vipers
2017/18:- Maroons 1-1 Vipers
2015/16:- Maroons 0-1 Vipers
2011/12:- Maroons 0-0 Vipers
2010/11:- Maroons 1-2 Vipers

Form:

The hosts boast one win in the previous 5 league ties while Vipers count 4 wins and a loss from the last 5 encounters as we sit a whopping 14 points over Maroons.

Vipers last 5 league matches:

Lost 1-0 to KCCA away at Lugogo

Won 1-0 against URA FC at Kitende
Won 1-0 against Wakiso Giants at Kitende.
Won 1-0 away to Busoga United.
Won 2-1 on the road against Kyetume United.

Maroons last 5 league matches:

Lost 3-2 to Proline at Lugogo
Drew 2-2 with Wakiso Giants at Njeru.
Drew 1-1 away to Busoga United.
Drew 2-2 with Express
Won 2-1 against Police.

Team News:

We will be boosted by the return of leading team striker Fahad Bayo and defensive kingpin Halid Lwaliwa after the duo missed the last two league fixtures against URA FC and KCCA FC due to national team duties as Uganda Cranes pipped Malawi 2-0 in an AFCON qualifier.

Teenagers Bobosi Byaruhanga and Karim Watambala remain unavailable as they are yet to complete their Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations at St Mary’s Boarding Secondary School.

Goalkeeper Derrick Ochan is ruled out due to a bout of fever that has kept him from training the whole of this week thus Fabien Mutombora will keep his position in goal deputised by Vipers U-17 keeper Eric Kaweesi.

Allan Kayiwa and Ibrahim Tembo picked knocks in Wednesday’s training session thus will be subjected to late fitness tests to determine whether they will be part of the squad.

The Coach’s view:

Edward Golola comes into this game with one item on his agenda, to win and consolidate Vipers stay on top of the 16 team log as at the closure of the first round.

“We put the past game behind us and have set a new target coming into this one. We want to play well and collect maximum points and with the return of some players we hope they will inspire the team and rally us back to winning ways,” Vipers head coach Edward Golola stressed.

Vipers captain Lwaliwa Halid wants his side to pile more misery on the hosts.

“Maroons is one of the stubborn sides in the league, we respect them but we also have our mission which we must fulfill; we come into this game hungry and charged, we want to collect maximum points.”

Copyright 2019 Vipers Sports Club plc. Permission to use photos and quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.viperssc.co.ug as the source.