Friday, October 7
*Onduparaka Vs SC Villa – Bombo
Saturday, October 8
*Express Vs URA – Wankulukuku
*BUL Vs UPDF – Njeru
*Arua Hill Vs KCCA – Barifa
Team News
- Okocha Rashid will face a late fitness test for Onduparaka
- The Hosts are boosted with the return of Gadaffi Gadinho and John Rogers who missed the opener.
- New signings Abonga Dominic and Munir Said are set for their debuts for the caterpillars.
- For SC Villa, Right Back Tabu Oryem, Umar Lutalo and Rogers Kiwanuka are all ruled out with injuries
- Captain Meddie Kibirige is still out after international duty with the Sand Cranes.
*Probable Lineups
Onduparaka: Mathias Muwanga (GK), Alex Adriko, John Rogers, Joel Abaliwano, Ndifuna Bernard, Ojara Dennis, Musema Boniface, Yakin Rashid, Oloro Nathan, Emmanuel Okech, Jarieko James.
SC Villa: Martin Elungat (GK), Agandu Fred, Hassan Musana, Gift Fred, Ivan Sserubiri, Pistis Barenge, Davis Ssekajja, Ivan Bogere, Seif Batte, Joseph Kafumbe, Kalule Frank.
Preview: Empty Bombo Awaits Onduparaka, SC Villa
Onduparaka will host their first of five home games at a neutral venue and behind closed doors.
This is a ruling that was passed in June 2022 after ugly scenes during their home league match with Arua Hill SC on 6th May 2022 at Green Light Stadium in Arua.
FUFA Competitions Disciplinary Panel then sanctioned Onduparaka FC for breach of Article 31(10) of the FUFA Competitions Rules.
The panel ruled that Onduparaka be deducted two points and two goals upon commencement of the 2022/23 UPL season.
The Club was also ordered to play five home games behind closed doors outside the West Nile Province.
Having drawn their league opener away to URA at Nakisunga Ssaza in Mukono, Onduparaka are rock bottom with a negative one point (-1).
At Bombo, the ground is a familiar place for SC Villa having hosted at the venue two seasons ago.
Speaking to the club media in the pre match interview, Onduparaka Goalkeeper and Captain Mathias Muwanga said their target is to finish in the top 8 with 15 cleansheets.
“We are prepared for the game, we have been correcting our mistakes and also working on our scoring because we didn’t score last time, the good thing we didn’t concede as well,” goalkeeper Muwanga disclosed.
“Our boys are all set as well as the coaches and the management, we are ready to get a good result.
“Keeping a cleansheet for us Goalkeepers and defenders motivates us a lot most especially against big clubs and I know I will keep a cleansheet with the help of my teammates because I can’t make it alone but with teamwork.
“Our target this season is finish in the top 8 and keep 15 cleansheets, we don’t want to fight relegation I just call upon the fans to support us wherever you are, we are ready to deliver.”
The Visitors on the other hand, started their campaign with a 2-0 win over Gaddafi FC at Wankulukuku and the side will be hoping to extend their impressive start.
SC Villa Head Coach Jackson Magera has expressed readiness and anger for maximum points.
“We have prepared well for the game, our target is to play well and win the game,” Magera said.
“We know the mistakes we did last season, so we talked to the boys to avoid them and they should go in the game and get a reasonable result.
“We trained the boys mentally well to play with or without the fans at the ground, I don’t think that will be a problem because we shall fight to see that they are mentally strong to play without fans.”
Villa signed over 20 players as they beefed up their squad ahead of the new season having lost a number of players.
Magera commented: “They are new but I think they understand the game well, we had a lot of tactics so that they can coordinate well and play like a team.”
Defender Gift Fred who scored Villa’s first goal of the season in the 2-0 victory over Gadaffi says the goal and the cleansheet is a boost and it will push him to work harder.
“Scoring a goal and keeping a cleansheet as a defender is a great motivation for me and I think I will strive higher to get such results in the upcoming matches,” he stated.
The Defender, who was signed from Kitara Regional League side Booma last season, was the captain in the opening fixture and admits that leading the team comes with a lot of pressure but he’s unmoved by it as long as the team wins.
“It comes with some good pressure but not much because atleast I know what am tasked to do, I have to lead the team through various challenges as we wait for the captain to come back.
“Given that there’s teamwork, I think this is an easy task to complete as long as the team performs well.
“Having tough times last season was big problem and I guess it was a nightmare to every player but this season we expect to have a good run and I think this will be achieved through teamwork and discipline.
“The second game comes with a lot of pressure because the last match is already done, we won it but it’s already done and nobody remembers it but we have to win this match to keep our hopes high if at all we are to get any silverware this season.
“Having won the last game, I think we have to work hard to get this win too, last season we lost to Onduparaka away but I think this season we are going to strive high to make something happen.”
In the reverse fixture last season, Shaban Muhammad’s goal was the difference at the Greenlight Stadium after SC Villa had won the first leg 2-1 in Njeru.
Stats
Onduparaka sits bottom of the log with -1 point after one match.
SC Villa are in the 3rd position with 3 points.
They have met 12 times, Onduparaka have 5 wins while Villa have beaten Onduparaka 7 times they have never drawn.
The Caterpillars have kept 3 clean-sheets against the Jogoos while Villa have four.
Head to Head
2021/2022
Onduparaka 1-0 Villa
Villa 2-1 Onduparaka
2020/2021
Onduparaka 1-0 Villa
Villa 1-0 Onduparaka
2019/2020
Villa 1-0 Onduparaka
Onduparaka 1-3 Villa
2018/2019
Onduparaka 2-1 Villa
Villa 0-1 Onduparaka
2017/2018
Onduparaka 0-1 Villa
Villa 1-0 Onduparaka
2016/2017
Villa 4-1 Onduparaka
Onduparaka 4-3 Villa
