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Vipers, KCCA clash with differing goals
Allan Okello will turn his left foot on the club that made him. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
Vipers grand master plan for Okello was to be their go-to man and of course weakening rivals KCCA, but the left-sided lad is yet to become the focal point for Livingstone Mbabazi's fourth-placed team.
Dexterous playmaker Allan Okello must emerge from the shadows of mediocrity and lift his Vipers side to the top, beginning with putting former paymasters KCCA to the sword on Friday at the St Mary's Stadium-Kitende.
By switching Lugogo for Kitende last September, Okello was hoping for a campaign laden with assists and goals but in a mixed campaign punctuated by injury and managerial uncertainty, he knows it's time to start taking the bull by its horns.
Vipers grand master plan for Okello was to be their go-to man and of course weakening rivals KCCA, but the left-sided lad is yet to become the focal point for Livingstone Mbabazi's fourth-placed team.
Under-fire Mbabazi was absent through a reported suspension as Okello netted against Wakiso Giants on Sunday and he will be compelled to pair him again with Karim Watambala and Siraje Ssentamu to neutralize the KCCA midfield trio of Joel Serunjogi, Ashraf Mugume and Emmanuel Wasswa.
Okello, who reportedly cost Vipers over Shs100m in transfer fees, will expect an emotional reunion when he faces a KCCA that breastfed him but will have no option apart from skinning them without mercy under the St Mary's Stadium floodlights.
After two spells at KCCA that yielded a couple of trophies and having conjured eight assists last season at Lugogo, the former Paradou creative cog knows the hot tempers that flare whenever the two sides collide.
With the StarTimes Uganda Premier League holders way off the mark with 35 points from 18 matches in fourth position - five points adrift of leaders Kitara before they played URA yesterday - Okello will aim to control his emotions and push the Venoms on course for maximum points.
KCCA midfielder Ashraf Mugume has the knack for scoring goals. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
Ineffectiveness has been the recurring theme of many Vipers stars like Yunus Sentamu, Eric Kambale and Milton Marisa this term but against tenth-placed KCCA, they need to start firing on all cylinders.
Abdallah Mubiru's KCCA that have collected 26 points from 20 matches will miss suspended league top scorer Muhammad Shaban and Hippos duo of Usama Arafat and Harunah Lukwago but in Joao Gabriel, Mugume and Etienne Katenga he still has potential match winners with the wow-factor.
Jogoos to poke Bul wounds
Abbey Kikomeko will be tasked to halt second-placed Bul's damning free-fall in time before SC Villa visit the Fufa Technical Centre.
The deposed league leaders have not won in the last three outings - against Maroons, URA and UPDF - and face a resolute Villa side fresh from accruing a double over Express.
Suddenly, goals have become hard to come by for Bul with the hunger to challenge for a maiden league title gradually fizzling out of their hirtetho spirited quest.
Dusan Stojanovic's Jogoos are fifth in the table with 33 points from 18 matches and will once again battle for victory minus the Hippos quartet Hakim Mutebi, Cyrus Kibande, Patrick Kakande and Abas Kyeyune but could welcome back defenders Arnold Odong and Garvin Kizito from suspension.
StarTimes Uganda Premier League
Friday fixtures
Bul vs. SC Villa, Njeru (4pm)
Vipers vs. KCCA, Kitende (7pm)
Vipers vs. KCCA: Last 7 meetings
10/11/23: KCCA 3 - 1 Vipers
05/05/23: Vipers 1 - 0 KCCA
22/10/22: KCCA 1 - 0 Vipers
16/04/22: KCCA 1 - 2 Vipers
05/12/21: Vipers 2 - 2 KCCA
09/05/21: KCCA 1 - 2 Vipers
17/03/21: Vipers 1 - 0 KCCA
