Six matches are on card in match day 19 as the Uganda Premier League returns on Tuesday.
Western side Mbarara City will seek to go second when they visit resilient Bright Stars FC at the Champions Stadium, Mwereerwe.
The Ankole Lions who have been the surprise performers of the season, jumping from relegation strugglers last season to title challengers. A win will see them go past defending champions SC Vipers into second and three points off leaders KCCA.
When former KCCA midfielder Paul Mucureezi joined the western outfit, he promised to deliver the club its first piece of silverware and has since set to achieve his ambition but head coach Livingstone Mbabazi has come out to call for focus as he claims the title is still an unrealistic achievement.
“Of course I am happy with the team but you cannot talk about the title now. That is unrealistic for us given the strength of KCCA and Vipers who are ahead of us,” said Mbabazi.
Their hosts Bright Stars will also be on a mission of saving their dwindling season as they have fallen from fifth to ninth. With their last three games ending in stalemates and failing to win since December 1, 2018, a run of eight games featuring five draws and three losses.
Known for resilience especially at home, Bright Stars home record this season has not been that magnificent as teams have easily picked results off them recently, with their last home win coming in November. But they have managed to get draws against the top two.
Mbabazi again will look to Mucureezi for inspiration but the recent form of Makweth Wol and Ivan Eyam suggests an increase in influence for Mbarara City. On the other hand, Bright Stars coach Fred Kajoba will be hoping this is the game his captain Nelson Senkatuuka and striker Brian Kayanja rediscover their scoring boots.
The two sides have met thrice, drawing once and sharing a win a piece.
Onduparaka host URA hoping to continue resurgence
Arua-based Onduparaka will host Uganda Revenue Authority at the Green Light Stadium, Arua as they look to continue their search for their first win in this year.
The Caterpillars’ last competitive win was against Kirinya Jinja SS, eliminating the Jinja-based team in the Stanbic Uganda Cup about a month ago.
The visitors today picked up all three points when the two sides last met last year as they ran away 3-1 victors in what was a tragic showing from Onduparaka as Abel Eturude put the ball in his own net before defender Fred Okot saw red.
Either side will be out for all three points as they all failed to win in their previous games. URA suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat at home to Maroons while Ondu drew at home to Kirinya.
Eturude and Oscar Agaba may be out as they are still nursing injuries while URA do not have any major injury concerns except for their head coach Sam Ssimbwa who is still serving a four game touchline ban.
Elsewhere, Prisons side Maroons will be seeking to increase the gap between them and the drop zone when the host fellow relegation strugglers Ndejje University who are second from bottom and eight points behind Maroons who are four points above the red line. Maroons will have the chance to build on their 1-0 win over URA last time if they can do the double over their visitors. They won 3-2 during the first round at the Arena of Visions in Ndejje. Vipers, fresh from a drubbing by Villa visit Tooro United while 12-placed Villa host bottom club Paidha Black Angels.
Uganda Premier League Tuesday February 12
Maroons vs Ndejje
Bright Stars vs Mbarara City FC
Onduparaka vs URA FC
Villa vs Paidha Black Angels
Kirinya JSS vs Police FC
Tooro Utd vs Vipers
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