Uganda Premier League
Mbarara City FC vs Vipers SC
Kakyeka Stadium
Friday, 19-11-2021 @3pm
Vipers SC will continue their bid to reclaim the StarTimes Uganda Premier League title from Express FC when they take on Mbarara City FC away from home on Friday.
The Venoms struggled last season and ended up finishing third, two points behind the Red Eagles.
Since then, they have hired Brazilian tactician Roberto ‘Robertinho’ Oliviera to replace Fred Kajoba who resigned towards the end of last campaign.
Robertinho has already started winning over the Venoms’ faithful after leading them to the Uganda Cup crown in September.
The Brazilian has also started well in the league, picking 10 points from the 12 available in his first four games.
The only game he failed to win was the 2-2 draw at Express FC on match-day four.
After the disappointment in Wankulukuku, the Venoms bounced back with a narrow 1-0 defeat of Onduparaka FC last time out.
Sitting just three points behind leaders KCCA, Robertinho’s charges know there is no room for error.
However, they take on a Mbarara City side that is high on confidence when playing at home.
The Ankole Lions have won both of their encounters at Kakyeka, defeating both Bright Stars FC and Arua Hill SC.
Despite the flawless streak at home, Hussein Mbalangu’s side have failed to pick up anything on the road, losing all three games away from Kakyeka.
They are coming off two successive losses at BUL FC and UPDF FC and a return home will be a welcome sight for them.
Kalule Frank and Onyai Ronald are both out injured for Mbarara City. Left-back Jasper Ahebwa continues to miss out due to suspension.
Umar Kyebatala and Lawrence Tezikya are the only absentees for Vipers. The rest of the squad is available for selection but Robertinho is expected to name an unchanged starting XI, identical to the one that took care of Onduparaka last time out.
This will be the 9th meeting between the two sides since November 2017. In the past eight meetings, either side has won twice with the other four games all ending in draws. Mbarara City’s two victories in this fixture, during that period, both came last season including a 1-0 triumph in the reverse fixture at Kakyeka. The Ankole Lions are unbeaten against Vipers in their last six meetings (W2 D4). Vipers have failed to beat Mbarara in all of their last three visits to Kakyeka (D2 L1).
