Villa in Onduparaka den as Police target Express scalp
In-form pair Kizza (L) and Gadinho must give their respective sides SC Villa and Onduparaka the edge when the two teams meet today in Arua. PHOTOS BY JOHN BATANUDDE
& EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
- Soccer. 16-time record league champions SC Villa will be aiming to become the first side to pick three points from the Greenlight Stadium in Arua when they visit Onduparaka. The home team have been inconsistent lately.
KAMPALA.
SC Villa’s pursuit of a first league title since 2004 has been derailed by a lack of conviction away from home.
The Jogoos have won only twice and drawn five of their nine away games thus far in the Azam Uganda Premier League (AUPL).
They will consequently be under more scrutiny this afternoon in their away tie against Onduparaka as they look to stretch their one point lead at the top of the AUPL log. The Jogoos have 37 points from 19 games, one more than KCCA who are level on 36 points with Vipers but with both teams not in action this weekend.
“Our strikers have been lacking self-belief,” Villa assistant coach Paul Mukatabala noted after the league game against Bright Stars.
“They are getting into to the right places but making the wrong decisions. But in sport, repetition can help you improve.”
Winger Martin Kizza has lately made up for those deficiencies and has now been involved in four of Villa’s last six goals, scoring thrice to take his tally to six in the league.
George Ssenkaaba was on target, too, in the 2-0 Uganda Cup win over Bright Stars to leave Wasswa Bbosa and Mukatabala with a decision on whether to start him or Davis Kasirye up-front.
Difficult for visitors
The Betway Greenglight Stadium remains the most difficult ground to visit with no visiting side claiming maximum points since Onduparaka earned promotion last season.
The goals, however, seem to have dried up for the Arua-based side, who have played out four goalless draws in their nine home games this season. Their inability to put up a consistent winning run has left them fourth on the log with 29 points.
Their 1-0 home win over Bul was followed by an away loss to Jinja Kirinya. At Mandela National Stadium Namboole, struggling former champions Express will be seeking to get off the foot of the table against the free-falling Police that have lost all their three second round games and are looking for a first win since November.
TODAY’S AUPL FIXTURES
Police vs. Express
Mandela National Stadium, Namboole
Onduparaka vs. SC Villa
Greenlight Stadium, Arua
Mbarara City vs. Maroons
Kakyeka Stadium, Mbarara
Soana vs. URA
Kavumba Recreation Centre (Live on Azam TV)
