Sinan RAJUB SENOGA
Alex Isabirye will officially kick start his reign as Vipers SC head coach today as the Venoms visit Wakiso Giants in the round of 16 of the Stanbic Uganda Cup.
Isabirye was appointed on Sunday to replace the departed Spanish – Brazilian Beto Bianchi who was sacked after seven games in charge.
The Venoms will be targeting an improved performance having spent seven games without scoring a goal.
Their opponents also head into this encounter on the back of unconvincing results in the league. Their last engagement was a 2-1 home loss to Maroons.
This is the third time both sides are meeting this season having played to a 1-1 draw at Kabaka Kyabaggu and a goalless draw at Kitende.
Isabirye says he is aware of the task at hand and looks forward to change fortunes at the club.
” This is one of the biggest clubs in Uganda and I know the challenges are not the same. My coming here is to change some of the few things which I think can make this club better than it is right now.”
Isabirye said in the pre match conference.
” I am a kind of person who needs challenges and I know to be a winner or successful, you have to compete. There was no pressure at BUL but now there is pressure here. My task is to make sure we get three points in each game we play.”
It’s all about winning games and we are going to concentrate on game by game and I think we can. When you look at the players, they are good and talented. I think what I need to do is to change their mentality.”
He added
His opposite number John Luyinda Ayala says his charges are well motivated to win a game of such magnitude.
“We are excited to be playing in a game of this magnitude. We play a very good side with a new and proven coach but we are motivated to do well against them in front of our fans,” Luyinda said
To reach this stage, Wakiso Giants edged fellow UPL side Blacks Power in a shoot out following a barren draw while Vipers ejected Big League side Jinja North in the similar fashion.
Team News
Wakiso Giants are likely to be without Moses Aliro who needs a late fitness test while striker Frank Ssebufu is a big doubt.
Apollo Kagogwe, Ronald Madoi and Titus Ssematimba are available after returning from the national duty in the AFCON U20.
For Vipers, skipper Milton Karisa is battling with a hamstring injury, Murushid Juuko and Marvin Youngman are also out for a while.
Bright Anukani returns after missing a trip to Simba in the Champions League last week due to malaria.
Stat:
Both sides have previously met on 10 occasions and Vipers have won five of them. The other five have been draws with Wakiso Giants not registering any victory.
