Tuesday, May 02, 2017
Azam Uganda Premier League fixtures
Lweza vs Express
JMC Hippos vs KCCA
Bright Stars vs Vipers
URA vs Kirinya-Jinja
Proline vs Bul
KCCA need three outright wins from their remaining five Azam Uganda Premier League (AUPL) matches to retain the title.
The reigning champions can of course wrap up the championship if they beat JMC on Tuesday and Kirinya-Jinja on Saturday and SC Villa fail to win at Soana on the same day.
Three of KCCA’s remaining fixtures all come at home against struggling Kirinya-Jinja, Lweza and Sadolin, and the club manager, Mike Mutebi, is almost sure to collect maximum points from them on a venue only Vipers have managed to win.
But on a day five league matches are lined up, KCCA will have to first contend with the away fixture at already relegated JMC in Eastern Uganda.
The holders come into this one boasting of a two-point advantage with two games in hand over nearest rivals SC Villa, who do not play until Saturday. KCCA top with 51 points.
“It will not be a walk in the park because JMC is another team that’s in the same division,” said KCCA manager, Mutebi.
“We have not been doing very well on the road so if we can go there and win maybe we can start popping the champagne.”
Mutebi’s confidence stems from the resilience showed by his team in the last two matches in what has been a grueling past month in which they played a game every three days.
“When we started the season we prepared the team. The methodologies we were using in training emphasized we would play three matches in 14 days. There’s rotation but that does not mean the team is tired.
Mutebi is again expected to make changes to his side having made five from Friday’s team that played Express.
With first choice goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan set to miss the Caf Confederation Cup opener against Fus Rabat through suspension, Mutebi hinted at Douglas Kisembo again keeping goal after impressing against former side Police in the Uganda Cup.
League leading marksman Geoffrey Sserunkuma could again start from the bench having looked out of sorts in recent games.
In-form Paul Mucurezi and Derrick Nsibambi are huge favourites to start in Jinja against JMC.
Long relegated, bottom side JMC have played 26 matches, won none and have only seven points to show for their effort.
With only four matches left for them, JMC are in contention to become the only team to go down without winning any game.
Elsewhere, Lweza host Express in the Wankulukuku derby, while Bright Stars entertain rejuvenated Vipers, Kirinya-Jinja visit URA and Bul travel to Proline.