The biggest flaw in Onduparaka maiden season in the Azam
Uganda Premier League last term was the inability to turn up or command respect in big games away.
A 7-0 drubbing at the hands of KCCA in Lugogo, 4-0 loss to SC Villa in Masaka and a 4-1 defeat to Vipers in Kitende dented Onduparaka’s chances of a strong finish last season. There has been a bit of improvement this season already against these sides with two ‘gifts’ granting KCCA a 4-1 win while Villa needed to work hard to beat the Catterpillars. George Senkaaba struck midway the second half for Villa to down Onduparaka on November 21.
But the latter now have to get their act together and will aim for a sixth win of the season when they host bottom side UPDF at the Betway Green Light Stadium in Arua. Coach Livingstone Mbabazi’s side has got to quickly forget wounds by Villa and it is right for the green army in Arua to demand for goals. Why?. UPDF have struggled to plot and they have the second worst defence so far with 19 goals conceded. For Onduparaka to exploit this, forwards Ceaser Okhuti, Ezra Bida, Karim Ndugwa, Vianney Sekajugo and Kabon Livin also need to up their finishing.
Victory for Onduparaka could see them go from fifth to fourth on 22 points should Vipers fail to beat URA in the Match Day 13 headline fixture at the St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende. Vipers beat Kirinya-Jinja SS 2-0 thanks to Milton Karisa’s brace, winning for the second time in eight outings. Coach Jorge da Costa insists the result against Kirinya only makes meaning if they pick three points against URA.
But eighth-placed URA have too crawled in a tough season under Ibrahim Kirya but their recent 1-0 win over Soana should be a big motivation and demand for more from the forwards like Robert Mukongotya and Labama Bokota. At Kakyeka Stadium, Mbarara City host KCCA who shockingly lost to Proline on Friday while table leaders Villa, on 25 points, visit struggling Masavu with hopes of a second away win of the season. Second-placed Police face BuL in the day’s televised contest.
AZAM UGANDA PREMIER LEAGUE
MATCH DAY 13
4pm: Police vs Bul, Namboole,
4:30pm: Vipers vs. URA, St. Mary’s Stadium
4:30pm: Kirinya-Jinja SSS vs. Maroons, Bugembe
4:30pm: Masavu vs. SC Villa, Bugonga
4:30pm: Soana vs. Express, Kavumba
4:30pm: Proline vs. Bright Stars, StarTimes Stadium
4:30pm: Mbarara City vs. KCCA, Kakyeka
4:30pm: Onduparaka vs. UPDF, Green Light Stadium
TABLE STANDINGS
Team P W D L F A Pts
SC Villa 12 8 3 1 10 4 25
Police 12 7 2 3 16 10 23
KCCA 12 6 4 2 25 8 22
Vipers SC 12 5 5 2 12 8 20
Onduparaka 12 5 4 3 10 8 19
Bright Stars 12 4 6 2 9 7 18
Kirinya-Jinja 12 5 2 5 8 9 17
URA 12 4 4 4 11 7 16
Maroons 12 3 7 2 7 8 16
Proline 12 4 2 6 14 13 14
Mbarara City 12 3 5 4 6 9 14
Soana 12 3 4 5 5 12 13
Bul 12 3 3 6 6 12 12
Express 12 3 2 7 7 10 11
Masavu 12 3 2 7 7 20 11
UPDF 12 1 3 8 9 19 6
TOP SCORERS
Player Goals Club
Hood Kaweesa 7 Police
Shaban Muhammad 6 KCCA
Nelson Senkatuka 6 Bright Stars
Dan Sserunkuma 5 Express
Milton Karisa 5 Vipers SC
Tito Okello 4 KCCA
Fahad Bayo 4 Proline
Derrick Nsibambi 4 KCCA
Daniel Isiagi 4 Proline
This writer is a scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and, also a sports presenter with NBS Television and Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune