Daily Monitor
Saturday May 15 2021
Old Jogoos? SC Villa’s Karim Abudallar (right) attempts to get past Vipers Siraj Sentamu in the first leg encounter. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
Summary
Too tight. URA, Vipers and Express go into the league’s Matchday 24 separated by just two points with none playing a title rival in the remaining seven matches.
Vipers are breathing down the necks of URA with a point deficit and when the two title protagonists went head to head at St Mary’s Stadium Kitende this week, it was visible they shared a lot in common.
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The thrilling StarTimes Uganda Premier League race is at its climax. Don’t blink. The remaining seven-game run promises to be the tightest in recent memory - having morphed and expanded from a two-horse race between leaders URA and Vipers to accommodate Express.
“We shifted our focus to the league immediately after we advanced to the cup quarters,” Bbosa told the club’s official website.
“We respect Police because they are a decent side with a good coach but the target remains winning all our home games to keep in reach with the table leaders.”
On his part, forward Mustafa Kiragga maintained their focus is to win to make their home ground a fortress for teams and they have prepared well to beat Police.
“Advancing to the quarter-finals of the Uganda Cup was a major boost for the team and as we prepare to face Police tomorrow [Saturday], the focus is on getting maximum points,” Kiragga told the same portal.
And now that we are out of the Uganda Cup, we have all our eyes on the league.
URA are top of the table with 47 points. They have played 21 matches; the Sam Ssimbwa-led charges have managed 14 wins, five draws, and two losses, scoring 32 goals in the process and conceding 13.
On Friday, they will be playing the inconsistent Onduparaka. The Arua-based charges are 12th on the table with 24 points. They have managed to get seven wins, three draws, and 11 losses.
Meanwhile, Express goalkeeper Denis Otim has stated they are ready to be paired with any team in the Uganda Cup after sealing their place in the quarter-finals on Tuesday at the expense of URA.
“We have had a huge game today [Tuesday], the surface wasn’t favourable for us due to the heavy rain but I thank the team for a good job done,” Otim, who managed another clean sheet, told the club’s official website after the game.
“We have made it to the quarters and we are ready for anyone coming up, we now go back home to correct our mistakes and bounce back stronger.”
Asked about the latest clean sheet, Otim was quick to appreciate his teammates and technical team by stating: I am really excited, three clean sheets in five games is a huge job, I thank my fellow goalkeepers and the goalkeeping coach for guiding me and the head coach for trusting me.”