UPL fixtures, Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Vipers SC vs Onduparaka– The Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, 4pm (Live on Azam TV)
Express vs Proline– Wankulukuku Stadium, 4.30pm
Bul vs Sadolin Paints– Njeru Technical Centre, Jinja
Police vs URA– M. N. Stadium, Namboole
Kirinya Jinja vs JMC Hippos– Kakindu Stadium, Jinja
The Saints vs Soana– Bombo Barracks Grounds
KCCA vs Lweza– Phillip Omondi Stadium, Lugogo
All Azam Uganda Premier League (AUPL) clubs play their first of the last three matches on Tuesday bar SC Villa and Bright Stars.
With about seven, including Lweza, still engulfed in a relegation fight, life is different at the top with KCCA the lone ranger.
Manager Mike Mutebi’s men will be toasting away to the title they are defending later in the day if they can avoid defeat against relegation-threatened Lweza at Phillip Omondi Stadium.
And what relief KCCA would have to travel to Morocco ahead of this weekend’s first leg of Caf Confederation Cup group stage match against Fus Rabat with the local league title already in the bag!
“We are treating the game against Lweza very seriously because we need to win it before Rabat,” said KCCA manager, Mutebi.
“The win will give us all the confidence and we shall also go to Morocco without the pending business of winning the league.”
With 57 points in the bag and three matches to go, KCCA will retain the league title with only a draw since closest challengers SC Villa are five points behind with just two games left.
Muzamir Mutyaba will miss for KCCA through an ankle injury while Paul Mucureezi was a slight doubt by press time.
Teenager Allan Okello is out due to school duty at the Copa Coca Cola championship in Masaka.
Goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan, defender and captain Denis Okot, all miss because they are ruled out of the trip to Rabat through suspension. However, Mutebi welcomes back Timothy Awany from injury.
But in Lweza, KCCA meet a team fighting for their life. The Wankulukuku-based side are buoyed by the 4-2 victory over Express in their most recent encounter, and will hope to throw another surprise at Lugogo.
Lweza stand just a place out of relegation on 28 points, same as Kirinya-Jinja below them. They will hope last week’s brace heroes Owen Kasule and Juma Balinya wear the same boots.
At St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, hosts Vipers hope to bounce back to winning ways when they welcome Onduparaka, who are fresh from beating Express.
Moses Waiswa is still out for Vipers but coach Jorge Miguel Da Costa could welcome back play-maker Mike Sserumaga.