Lwanga a hero amid villains

When the chips are down, champions are forged in the fire of adversity - and for SC Villa, whose league campaign has gone south, redemption now hangs on the shoulders of forward Charles Lwanga. 

The striker, fresh from a scintillating four-goal display in Villa's 5-0 demolition of UPDF, has vowed to use that milestone as a launchpad to unlock a torrent of goals and haul Morley Byekwaso's embattled side out of their current misery.

With the record champions languishing in eighth place on the log with just 11 points from eight matches, Lwanga's pledge is a beacon of hope for a team desperate to reverse their fortunes.

Jogoo nightmare

SC Villa’s plight hit rock bottom in their last outing, a humbling 1-0 loss to eternal rivals Express at Nakivubo Stadium - a performance so toothless it barely warranted a contest. 

The 17-time StarTimes Uganda Premier League kings exposed nearly all their season's frailties under coach Byekwaso: inconsistency in their approach, a blunt attack, disjointed play, and a porous defence.

These glaring weaknesses must be urgently addressed on Saturday as the Jogoos face Steven Bengo’s Wakiso Giants, who sit 11th with nine points, in a crucial clash at Wankulukuku Stadium.

“Against Express, we didn’t attack well; we were overly defensive compared to our usual style,” Lwanga admitted.

He added;  “against Wakiso Giants, we must revert to an attacking approach, just like we did against UPDF. In that match, Patrick Kakande excelled as a number ten, Hakim Kiwanuka thrived in a free role and found the net, Reagan Mpande was outstanding on the left wing, and I capitalized on the four chances I got.”

Déjà vu moment

The corresponding fixture between these two sides on May 8 this year was nothing short of a classic. 

Wakiso Giants, then under John 'Ayala' Luyinda, appeared to have the game wrapped up with a commanding 2-0 lead, courtesy of well-taken strikes by Hassan Ssenyonjo and Samson Kigozi. 

However, SC Villa staged a remarkable second-half comeback, with Reagan Mpande, the now-departed Umar Lutaro, and Ronald Ssekiganda finding the back of the net to salvage a dramatic victory for the Jogoos at Wankulukuku.

Lwanga, who has already registered five goals this season after scoring six overall last term, believes the responsibility of lifting SC Villa's goal-scoring burden now rests squarely on his shoulders. 

Determined to lead from the front, the striker has set himself an ambitious target of 15 goals by the end of the season, a tally he hopes will inspire the Jogoos to turn their fortunes around.

“I know my starting spot is not guaranteed, especially with Francis Onekalit  (South Sudan national team striker), pushing me hard,” Lwanga revealed.

 “I’ve made four starts this season, and I understand that only consistent goal-scoring will keep me in the lineup. At the same time, the pressure within the club is mounting - we have to perform better than our current inconsistent form. 

"Our chances of retaining the trophy are slipping, while other clubs are stepping up their game,” he added with a sense of urgency.

Chan dreams

Lwanga draws inspiration from former teammates who have risen to stardom, such as US based Bobosi Byaruhanga, with whom he played at St. Mary’s SS Kitende, and Muhammad Shaban and Allan Okello, his former colleagues at KCCA, now established Uganda Cranes stars. 

Motivated to bridge the gap, Lwanga acknowledges that only hard work and consistent goal-scoring will help him catch up. 

His immediate ambition is to earn a spot on the Cranes’ Chan squad, which will compete on home soil in February, a goal he believes is within reach if he maintains his form.

StarTimes Uganda Premier League

Saturday at 4pm 

SC Villa vs Wakiso Giants

Venue: Wankulukuku