David GOMBE
SC Villa will take on rivals KCCA at under the lights of FUFA Kadiba stadium with both sides seeking to close the gap on leaders Vipers and second placed Kitara FC who shared spoils in their contest on Friday.
Four points separate the two sides with KCCA third on the table with 45 points while Villa is fourth with 41 in 21 games.
KCCA will need to react from their Stanbic Uganda Cup quarter final exit and to keep their hopes of ending a title drought since 2019.
Before the Uganda Cup exit, the Kasasiro boys had registered five consecutive wins and face the record league winners who have managed just two wins against them in the previous 26 league meetings since 2012.
SC Villa is unbeaten at home this term and will hope to keep their invincibility at Kadiba as well as ending their poor run against KCCA.
Villa’s head coach Zeljko Kovacevic is confident ahead of the epic contest .
“I don’t think the past matches matter,” he said when reminded of the history. “Just this season, we have played three times, won one, lost one and drawn one against KCCA,” he added.
“For me, all we need is to do better on Saturday and that is all that matters for now.”
“For this game, we have prepared in some special way because it is a Kampala derby. It is very important game for us because we need to win and stay in contention for the league.
“We know KCCA has very good individual players and we need to analyze everything and we have tried to prepare for every detail.” Said the Serb
Former Jogoo Umar Lutalo broke Villa faithfuls hearts when he scored a last-minute free kick winner for KCCA when the two sides met in the first round at Mandela National Stadium in Namboole.
SC Villa will be boosted by the return of forwards Charles Lwanga, a former KCCA player and Frank Ssebuufu who is their top scorer this term with six goals. Both players missed Villa’s trip to Kassanda in the Uganda Cup quarter final game against Happy Boyz.
Assistant team captain Misi Diego Ssemugera is a major doubt for this mouthwatering contest.
Derrick Nsibambi, Gabriel Joao and Mubeezi are the only reported absentees for KCCA.
Fact
Villa’s last league victory over KCCA was their 2-1 win in 2020 at Bombo Military Grounds with Nicholas Kabonge and Ronald Ssekiganda scoring for the Jogoos. Brian Aheebwa scored the visitors’ consolation.
Head to Head
KCCA has won 15 in the last 26 games against Villa, 9 games have ended in stalemates with Villa managing just two wins.
