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Villa, Express clash in derby few care about
SC Villa's David Owori leaves Express' Hakim Wandera on the ground during the first round game. PHOTOS/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Once the heartbeat of Ugandan football, this storied rivalry now unfolds in the shadows, with both teams merely fighting for pride.
Gone are the days when a clash between SC Villa and Express would shape the league title race or bring Kampala to a standstill.
Once the heartbeat of Ugandan football, this storied rivalry now unfolds in the shadows, with both teams merely fighting for pride.
On Saturday, the two fallen giants meet at Luzira Grounds - a rented venue that underscores their diminished stature.
Express sit third on the log, a distant 12 points behind table-toppers Vipers, with 25 points from 16 matches.
Defending champions Villa, meanwhile, languish in ninth place, trailing by 16 points.
To make matters worse, Express are still smarting from a 2-0 defeat to Bul on Wednesday, while Villa wasted an early lead to settle for a disappointing 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Wakiso Giants the day before.
Still, history refuses to be ignored. Between them, Villa and Express have lifted the league title 23 times, a legacy that could inject some fire into today’s contest.
Villa will be out for revenge after losing 1-0 to Express in the first round, while the Red Eagles will look to complete a rare double over their old foes - just as Villa did to them last season.
Battle lines drawn
Express coach Badru Kaddu was forthright about his team's objective this season. “Our target is to finish in the top four positions, and we can only achieve that by winning matches,” he stated with conviction.
To keep that ambition alive, Kaddu will rely on his attacking duo of Richard Basangwa and Samuel Ssenyonjo, urging them to sharpen their finishing. Behind them, the midfield engine room - comprising Muhammed Kagawa, Saidi Kyeyune, Alex Emmanuel Wasswa, and Ramzay Kawooya - must rise to the occasion and dictate play.
Express striker Richard Basangwa (L) attempts to get past SC Villa defender Simon Ssemanyage.
On the other hand, Villa’s beleaguered coach Morley Byekwaso faces a defining moment in what has become a season of decline for the reigning champions.
First, he must reignite belief in a dispirited squad that has become overly dependent on playmaker Patrick Kakande.
Second, he must find a way to reverse Villa’s woeful away form, with the Jogoos yet to win a single match on the road this season.
Most crucially, Byekwaso must address the team’s alarming second-half collapses, a pattern that has frustrated fans who blame his hesitant and often questionable substitutions.
For Byekwaso, this is a make-or-break moment. Lose today, and Villa’s title defence - already hanging by a thread - could completely unravel, along with his tenure at the club.
Impotent taxmen
At Nakivubo Stadium, Alex Isabirye’s URA, currently fifth with 24 points, will be eager to bounce back from Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat to Vipers when they take on Muhammad Ssenfuma’s Maroons.
The visitors, who sit seventh with 23 points, were held to a frustrating home draw by Soltilo Bright Stars on Wednesday.
Isabirye remains pragmatic about URA’s progress, acknowledging the challenges of rebuilding.
“We are a team in transition, but I can’t tell how long it will take us to become a consistent and competent team. We are working on that, and I believe we shall soon achieve it if we continue with hard work,” he remarked.
StarTimes Uganda Premier League
SC Villa vs. Express, 4pm
URA vs. Maroons, 7pm
