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Both behemoths enter what will be their 36th meeting in all competitions aware that victory for either will have major implications in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League title race.
A bellowing atmosphere awaits to welcome fierce foes Vipers SC and KCCA FC at the St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Friday under the floodlights as the two renew hostilities for the second time this season.
Both behemoths enter what will be their 36th meeting in all competitions aware that victory for either will have major implications in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League title race.
KCCA sit second in the league standings with 45 points and Vipers third with 42 points, and a win for either side could be a major step towards winning the league title in the 2022/23 season.
Vipers SC head coach Alex Isabirye is confident that his team can pull off a victory, despite the tough challenge ahead, praising his players' commitment and application, stating that they are "desperate to change things and push till the last day of the league."
However, Isabirye is under no illusions about the challenge ahead, and he knows that KCCA FC is a formidable opponent.
“If we get our best performance, I think we can do it,” he said to the club media. “It will be a special, special match, at St Mary’s Stadium with our supporters."
“They will give me everything they’ve got. You can’t doubt them in terms of application and commitment. They are desperate to change things and push till the last day of the league.”
“The atmosphere for the Gaddafi game was superb, we were aggressive and on the front foot.”
“So, we need all those ingredients again to get the win we need. We have a lot of talent and a lot of ability.”
“I believe we’ll get there, and we’re certainly working every minute to get to those consistent levels,” he added.
Vipers lost to KCCA FC in their earlier meeting this season. The two teams have met 35 times before, with Vipers having won 14 times, drawn nine times, and lost 12 matches.
KCCA FC, on the other hand, is looking to secure their first away win against their rivals in over ten years.
Victory on Friday would take them to the top of the table, two points above current leaders SC Villa, and put them in a strong position to win their first domestic silverware since 2019.
KCCA FC interim head coach Jackson Mayanja is optimistic about his team's chances, and believes that they are still in the title race, despite the recent setback where they threw away a two goal lead in their draw against Onduparaka.
“We are still in the title race, even after what happened to Onduparaka. We still have a chance, and the title is still alive,” Mayanja said in a press conference.
“And there is nothing much, other than us visiting Vipers and winning the game. We need to win the game tomorrow.”
Mayanja has collected seven points from three games since taking charge of the team and has already enjoyed an emphatic victory over SC Villa in his first game in charge.
Mayanja highlighted the importance of winning this match to stay in the hunt for the league title.
“We know that Vipers SC is one of the teams that is fighting for the championship, so we have to get a result,” he said.
“We are going there to win the game, and we will do everything we can to get the three points.”
The history of the two sides' meetings also adds another layer of intrigue to the match. In their 35 previous league encounters, Vipers SC has won 14 matches, while KCCA FC has won 13. Eight matches have ended in a draw.
After being absent from the game against Gaddafi FC on Tuesday, Karim Ndugwa is set to be evaluated in the morning to determine his readiness to play. Meanwhile, Murushid Juuko, Yunus Sentamu, and Alfred Mudekereza are still undergoing rehabilitation and will be unavailable.
For KCCA, Rogers Mato has been declared fit for selection after participating in full training sessions throughout the week. After being granted leave to attend to a family matter, Brian Aheebwa has returned to training. The forward missed the previous two games, but his availability for the upcoming game has not been confirmed yet.
Dominic Ayella is currently undergoing rehabilitation after suffering a knock in training. He is yet to join the rest of the team for training. Faisal Wabyoona is still working on his match fitness with John Revita still a long-term absentee.
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