Uganda Premier League record champions Sports Club Villa will keep their record of never being relegated from the Uganda Premier league atleast for another year after fellow relegation strugglers Ndejje University fell 1-0 to Onduparaka at the Arena of Visions in Bombo. The loss meant Ndejje, Paidha Black Angels and Nyamityobora, the same trio that were promoted last season will all play in the Big League next season.
SC Villa’s survival has been sealed with a game to play despite losing to Tooro United on Tuesday while Ndejje needed maximum points to keep their hopes of survival alive, going into the final game of the league due Saturday.
The Ndejje – Onduparaka tie was abandoned on Wednesday after it was interrupted by a heavy downpour 20 minutes into play. On Thursday, with the skies threatening to open up again, Vianne Ssekajugo broke the deadlock in the 88th minute to confirm Ndejje’s relegation, a few months after gaining promotion.
With the final match day to come on Saturday, the fate of all three relegated teams has been revealed with
Focus on next season
Although Villa’s league status is confirmed, all is not well inside the 16-time league champions’ camp with reports claiming head coach Douglas Bamweyana was forced out of the door.
However, Villa SC’s media officer Sarah Adong refuted those claims, saying that there has not been any communication from her bosses over the issue. This, despite assistant coach Samuel Mugerwa taking charge of training sessions on Wednesday and Thursday morning.
“Our focus now is on our final game on Saturday against Nyamityobora. And we are already preparing for that,” Adong told Watchdog Uganda.
“There has not been any communication from the board or the coach about him leaving the club. And also those reports are just rumours.”
Adong also said now that their league status is now confirmed, they have to turn their attention to next season’s preparations as they strive to return the club to its former glory.
“Football is a game of luck, and luckily for us our league status has been confirmed without us kicking a ball. But now that’s a done and our focus should be on rebuilding the club especially the playing and technical staff. We had little time to prepare last season and that has hurt us for much of this season,” Adong said.
