UPL glamour fixture stripped of relevance
KCCA’s Allan Okello is one of the players who will be missing in action today. Photo by Eddie Chicco
Kampala- The game between KCCA and Vipers these days can rightly be described as the league’s most attractive fixture.
Since Express won the league in 2012, the league title has either ended up at Kitende or at Lugogo with reigning champions KCCA winning five titles since and Vipers winning in 2018 and in 2015.
The pair have also commanded strong transfer fees in recent years with Vipers selling Farouk Miya for a reported $400,000 while KCCA were reported to have received $130,000 from the sale of striker Muhammad Shaban to Raja Casablanca in Morocco, the latter also a destination for Patrick Kaddu.
In 2016 Vipers sold star-man Farouk Miya for a reported $400,000 while KCCA were reported to have received $130,000 from the sale of striker Muhammad Shaban to Raja Casablanca in Morocco.
But as the two teams square up this evening, the biggest talking point in the lead up to the game has been about whether the teams will have their best players available.
This is as a result of a decision by the Uganda Premier League (UPL) and domestic football governing body Fufa to have the league run on Fifa sanctioned dates.
This could consequently deprive both teams of their best players with both KCCA and Vipers having three players each included in the Cranes team preparing for tomorrow’s Afcon Qualifier against Malawi.
KCCA will likely be without the trio of Charles Lukwago, Nicholas Kasozi and Allan Okello while Halid Lwalirwa and Fahad Bayo will be missing for Vipers who also had goalkeeper Fabian Mutombora summoned by Burundi.
All six were unused substitutes in midweek as the Cranes played out a goalless draw away to Burkina Faso.
The scenario had Vipers who hold a five-point lead over second placed Bul contemplating recalling their players to feature in the game.
“It is unfair to take away players during an international break and then not use them,” a Vipers official who preferred not to be named, opined.
KCCA manager Mike Mutebi on the other hand has often encouraged league organisers not to postpone games although the club deviated from that script in the lead up to the pre-season Pilsner Super 8 tournament.
They went on to lose the final 2-0 to Vipers in a game in which Bayo scored a brace.
“Of course if Allan Okello is out, then Steven Sserwadda is there, if Kasozi is out, Gift Ali is there,” said Mutebi.
“And if Mutyaba Muzamiru is out, we have Kezironi Kizito, if Kato out, there is Filbert Obenchan, and Peter Magambo is there, and if Revita out, Musana is available,” Mutebi further prided in his wealth of options before his team came from behind to defeat Police 3-2 last weekend.
The game saw the club play without five players as the Cranes played a regional tour game in Katakwi.
“Maybe for Fufa and their sponsors, but for me, as far as technical development of the game is concerned, it’s rubbish. Absolute rubbish,” Mutebi fumed.
League manager Paul Kabaikaramu however insisted in a previous interview that there is no harm intended in playing games during the international break.
Some of things we can’t control,” said Kabaikaramu, “For example, every time KCCA and Proline progress in Caf, we have to adjust fixtures.
“Then we have Cecafa which we are hosting, the Women U20, then Chan and Afcon qualifiers and Chan Championship finals.
“That’s why we are trying our best to fix these fixtures. We are not doing this to fail any clubs,” he said.
Vipers will also be without midfielders Bobos Byaruhanga and Karim Watambala for today’s game as they complete their high school examinations.
