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It will be a battle of the best attack versus the best defense as the defending Champions Vipers SC host new entrants Uganda People’s Defense Forces Football Club (UPDF FC) in the StarTimes UPL at the St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende on Saturday evening.
The Venoms currently have the best attack this season in the League, having found the back of net an incredible 16 times in 5 games while the Army side has conceded the joint least goals (3) with Police FC and URA FC.
Vipers are still one of the four sides that remain unbeaten, having garnered 3 wins and 2 draws in their opening five games, while UPDF have had a good start, collected 4 wins in their first 5 games back to the country’s top flight football.
Vipers SC head coach Fred Kajoba will hope his side can return to winning ways, having drawn their last league outing 1-all with Express FC at the Betway Muteesa II Stadium -Wankulukuku on Tuesday evening. Before that match, they had put 7 goals past MYDA at home.
Kefa Kisala, the UPDF head coach, will demand a response from his team after they lost to Kyetume 1-0 courtesy of Mustafa Mujjuzi last gasp penalty at the FUFA Technical Center, Njeru before the league went into the CHAN break in December last year.
The Army side recruited five players in the January window bringing in goalkeeper Eric Kibowa, defender Bernard Muwanga, midfielder Arafat Kakonge as well as strikers Alex “Benzema” Kitata and Davis Kasirye to replace Tonny Kyamera, Juma Ssebaduka, Najib Gwaidu Tusaba, Fred Okot and Ronnie Kisekka who were all released by the club.
The last time Vipers hosted UPDF at the St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, the Venoms defeated the Army side 4-1 to win the 2017/18 Uganda Premier League title, while UPDF was relegated to the FUFA Big League after that match.
Team News
The hosts, Vipers will still be without the services of Cranes winger Milton Kalisa who is still unavailable with a thigh injury, while Aziz Kayondo, Bobosi Byaruhanga and Najib Yiga are also out due to commitments with the Uganda Hippos in Mauritania.
Kefa Kisala will miss the services of their lead topscorer Brian Kalumba who will be out as he is not eligible to face his parent side.
