Villa seek reprieve in Cup match
What you need to know:
- Two weeks ago, Villa team bus crashed on their way to Gulu for this Uganda Cup round of 32 clash against Super Eagles, forcing the tie to be aborted.
Slumping local football giants SC Villa, today, take to the Pece War Memorial Stadium in Gulu in a reprieve for the Jogoos and salvation for their Greek coach Petros Koukouras.
Two weeks ago, Villa team bus crashed on their way to Gulu for this Uganda Cup round of 32 clash against Super Eagles, forcing the tie to be aborted.
Whatever the omen then, will matter for little today if the Jogoos fall today as the team has only picked up four wins from 19 games the StarTimes Uganda Premier League, leaving Koukouras looking increasingly on the edge.
Super Eagles is a winnable tie on paper but judging by the inconsistency levels that Villa have embraced recently, a shock is not far from their window.
It does not help their hope much that heavyweights such KCCA and URA have already been defenestrated from the Cup by minnows after Fufa made the draw so that top-flight clubs face of with their lesser privileged counterparts.
Villa, who are drawn to face archrivals Express if they can outwit Super Eagles, have only one thing to do: raise the war in their feathers to save so much.
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One of them is the gaffer. Word is rife in the Villa camp that Koukouras is at a make or break point, and only progress in the knockout tournament can buy him more time.
In the UPL, a stern relegation dogfight awaits the record winners, given they have managed a paltry 18 points, only better than Tooro United, Soltilo Bright Stars and Mbarara City.
Koukouras decries lack of support
According to insiders, the widening rift between coach Koukouras and the club management emanated from the botched January transfers.
He had reportedly asked the club to recruit Express forward Eric Kambale and Arua Hill hitman Alfred Leku to shore up a blunt attack that has scored only 18 goals this league campaign.
The club instead went for defensive signings – Shafik Bakaki and Bernard Agele – whose has not helped cast any ballast for the Blues’ sinking ship.
Koukouras had pledged Uganda Cup success had gotten his wish, and now it’s down to fate.