Azam Uganda Premier League, Saturday 4pm
Kirinya Jinja SSS Vs. URA– Bugembe Stadium, Jinja, 4: (Live on Azam TV)
UPDF Vs. KCCA– Bombo Barracks Grounds
Maroons Vs. Onduparaka– Luzira Prisons Grounds
Mbarara City Vs. Express– Kakyeka Stadium, Mbarara
Police Vs. SC Villa – M. National Stadium, Namboole
Proline Vs. Masavu– Star Times Stadium, Lugogo
URA and SC Villa will be targeting 100 per cent start to the 2017/18 Azam Uganda Premier League season (AUPL) when another round of match day two games gets underway on Saturday.
On their part, defending champions KCCA will be looking to get the ground running quickly when they travel to Bombo to face UPDF after firing blanks in their opener against Maroons on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, newcomers Mbarara City host their first home game at Kakyeka Stadium against six-time winners Express, while Masavu will hope to play their maiden match after losing their would-have-been first against Police by forfeiture.
A potentially enthralling encounter between hosts Maroons and Onduparaka, who both drew their opening games, will meanwhile ensue in Luzira as the duo look to get out of the blocks.
Of all the six matches on the day, only URA, who make a short trip to Kirinya-Jinja, and SC Villa – away to Police – scored and won their first matches and will go into this round of fixtures buoyed.
“I’m comfortable with the squad I have to challenge for the title,” said Villa coach Wasswa Bbosa after Vitalis Tabu’s lone goal at Masaka Recreation Ground that handed his side a 1-0 victory over Soana on Tuesday.
Across in Bombo, KCCA face a UPDF side reeling from a 2-1 defeat to URA and Mike Mutebi’s champions will have to do more than they did against Maroons to get something from Moses Basena’s outfit.
KCCA lead striker Derrick Nsibambi is confident they will definitely improve. “The opening game of the season is always tough,” he said Nsibambi, who had youngster Tito Okello behind him against Maroons, “We still have 29 games to go, and the goals will come.”
KCCA’s creative force of Allan Okello and Muzamir Mutyaba will have to do much better in Bombo than they offered midweek.
“The good thing with our team, we create the chances,” Nsibambi added, “So as the strikers we just need to find our footing as soon as possible.
“You will have a better performance from us in the next game, that I assure the fans.”
In Western Uganda, what was supposed to be a grand welcome of a new team in topflight football in a long time has been overshadowed by reports that Mbarara City coach Richard Makumbi has gone Awol.
Makumbi, who guided Mbarara City to topflight football, skipped the club’s season opener away to Bul in Jinja on Tuesday. His assistant Villai Bianomugisha took charge for the goalless draw at Kakindu.
Reports suggest that Makumbi, who signed a one-year contract with Mbarara City, is in Kenya, perhaps looking to seal a deal with a local club there.
Bianomugisha will now be in charge Mbarara City for the second match in a row, but this one comes in the size of six-time champions Express.