The Match: Soltilo Bright Stars FC v Vipers SC
The Date: May 21, 2021
The Time: 4pm
The Venue: Kavumba Recreational Centre
Vipers will hope to get their StarTimes Uganda Premier League title challenge back on track when they make a short trip to Kavumba Recreational Centre to face Soltilo Bright Stars FC on Friday evening in a game that they must win to enhance their bid of retaining the title.
The Venoms were stunned by Mbarara City FC earlier on Tuesday when they threw away a 2-0 lead as the Ankole Lions came from behind to win 3-2 and complete a season double and also frustrate their title chasing efforts in the process.
Vipers SC are now third on the table with 53 points while Express FC and URA FC have 55 and 54 in first and second position respectively.
However, the chance for the Venoms to push for silverware hasn’t evaporated. The top three teams being separated by two points meaning that any slip up by URA FC or Express FC in the remaining games will see Vipers reclaim top spot on the table log.
“We did not do our best in the last game especially in the second half where we slipped up. We could have done better, however there is room for redemption and we believe we are going to return stronger and better in the remaining games,” Vipers head coach Fred Kajoba believes.
In that defeat to Mbarara City, Kajoba had to make do without Bobosi Byaruhanga, Halid Lwaliwa, Livingstone Mulondo, Disan Galiwango and Karim Watambala who were out with injuries but have all returned and will be available against Bright Stars FC tomorrow evening.
Bright Stars FC proved resilient for most parts of the game in the corresponding fixture at the St Mary’s stadium but the Venoms managed to break them towards the end of the second half thanks to goals from Cesar Manzoki and Jamil Kalisa.
The hosts have shocked many with their superb performance this season and this makes them a side that cannot be underestimated going into Friday’s game and will surely give Vipers a stern test. They have not lost any of their last 10 games, picking seven wins and three draws since their 2-1 defeat to SC Villa on March 17.
On the other hand, the Venoms have not lost away from home since March 13 when they fell 2-1 at the hands of Sam Ssimbwa’s URA FC.
Team News:
Denis Kiggundu, Ahmed Amayo and Dan Sserunkuma remain the only absentees for Fred Kajoba.
The rest are available for duty upon selection.