David GOMBE
Date: 19th September, 2024
The Contest: Vipers SC vs Express FC
Time: 7pm
TVenue: St Mary’s Stadium
After last Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of NEC, Vipers next take on Express FC on Thursday at Kitende seeking to redeem themselves after the poor showing at the MTN Omondi Stadium in Lugogo.
Muzamir Mutyaba and former Vipers forwards Cromwell Rwothomio and Paul Mucureezi scored for NEC while Livingstone Mulondo netted for the Venoms.
Defeat against NEC was the first time in almost 12 years that the Venoms have lost their opening league fixture.
They had last lost their opening fixture during the 2012/13 campaign when they suffered a 2-1 loss at home to Entebbe FC on 25th September, 2012.
By then, Vipers was under the stewardship of Nigerian tactician Ambrose Duru Chukuma and finished the season in third place.
Against Express, Nikola Kavazovic’s charges will be seeking to maximize points in their first game at home.s
If they are to mount a title charge, they will need to turn their home into a fortress unlike last season when they lost two games at Kitende with defeats to BUL FC and KCCA FC.
Express FC head coach was delighted to see his team secure maximum points with a narrow 2-1 win over newly promoted Mbale Heroes on Tuesday at the refurbished Nakivubo stadium.
DID YOU KNOW:
The Red Eagles’ win over Mbale Heroes was their first league game opener win since 2016. The last time Express FC won a league game opener was against Lweza FC in 2016.
Sam Ssenyonjo scored a second half brace for the seven time league champions to cruise to maximum points in their opener and will head to Kitende with confidence.
Team News
Vipers will be boosted by the return of Hillary Mukundane who missed their opener against NEC FC.
The Red Eagles on the other hand are expected to unleash former Vipers SC forward Richard Basangwa. Veteran midfielders Saidi Kyeyune and Emmanuel Wasswa are expected to pair again in midfield.
Vipers and Express will be meeting for the 38th time in Uganda’s league history since 2006 when the Venoms joined the top flight division.
Previous Meetings:
Vipers have managed 17 wins, drawn 12 and lost 8 in the previous 37 meetings.
Last season, Vipers cruised to a narrow 1-0 win over Express at Kitende but the Red Eagles had also smiled to a 2-0 win in the first round meeting at Wankulukuku last year.
Key Fact:
The Red Eagles have only managed one win at Kitende and that was during their 2020/21 title winning campaign when they beat Vipers 1-0, courtesy of a John Byamukama goal.
