UGANDA PREMIER LEAGUE
The Date: December 20, 2024
The Contest: Mbale Heroes vs. Vipers SC
The Time: 4pm
The Venue: Mbale Municipal Stadium
Vipers SC will make a long trip to the East to take on Mbale Heroes FC in the Uganda Premier League at the Mbale Municipal Stadium, on Friday.
The Venoms will be seeking a return to winning ways, having drawn 1-1 against BUL FC in their most recent game that took center stage on Saturday, at the St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.
Victory for Vipers in Mbale will take them back to the summit with 28 points. Current leaders NEC FC were held to a one-all stalemate by BUL FC on Wednesday in Najjembe.
The Venoms have enjoyed a superb run of results on the road, as we have picked four victories on the bounce. Overall this season, we have won four, drawn and lost one apiece away from home.
Our recent away game had the team pick a 2-1 victory over Soltilo Bright Stars FC in Kavumba, courtesy of Gusto Mulongo and Allan Okello.
On the other hand, Mbale Heroes FC picked a 1-1 draw against UPDF FC in their most recent fixture, at the Bombo Military Grounds last week.
At home in Mbale, they’ve picked two victories, one stalemate and suffered defeats on two occasions this season.
They sit at the base of the Uganda Premier League table with nine points in 12 matches played so far.
Vipers SC (then Bunamwaya FC) and Mbale Heroes FC have met four times in the Uganda Premier League showdown since gaining promotion in 2006.
It’s important to note that the two teams were promoted from the Super mini league which was hosted at Mbale Municipal Stadium in 2005 and first met in the 2006 season with the two legs ending in stalemates (0-0 & 1-1).
During the 2006/7 season, Mbale Heroes FC beat Vipers SC 3-1 at Nakivubo stadium with Ronald Muganga scoring the Venoms consolation. However, in the second round, Vipers SC won 2-0 in Mbale with goals from Muganga and Robert Kimuli.
At the end of the same season, Mbale Heroes FC got relegated from the top flight league together with Kanoni Mukono United FC, City Lads and Masindi Town Council.
Vipers managed to finish fifth in that 2006/7 season behind eventual winners URA FC, SC Villa, Police FC and KCCA FC.
As Mbale Heroes FC remained languishing in the lower leagues since then, the Venoms have gone on to register six Uganda premier league titles.
Team News:
Forward Yunus Sentamu is sidelined with an eye problem that has kept him out of training this week.
Goalkeeper Denis Kiggundu and midfielder Moses Waiswa were granted compassionate leave to sort out personal family matters.
Goalkeeper Jack Komakech reported back to training this week having been off for three months to finish his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams at St Mary’s Boarding Secondary School.