Jogoos kick off Uganda Cup campaign against Kireka United

By any measure, SC Villa are having an impressive season. The Jogoos, who have flirted with relegation in recent years, are fifth on the log and are a mere five points adrift of table leaders KCCA.

But for a two-point penalty by Fufa, Villa would actually be fourth. What is also a near certainty is that SC Villa will not win the Uganda Premier League trophy this season. For all their noticeable improvement, the club remain a yard or two behind rivals KCCA and Vipers.

It is precisely why the Stanbic Uganda Cup is the club’s realistic path to silverware. SC Villa are at Kings Park ground today to take on Kireka United in a match that will be a must-see for the locals in and around areas of Kireka, Banda and Bweyogerere.

SC Villa coach Nelly Magera is expecting a tough match.

“Anyone who follows Cup football will know that games against these lower division sides are very tricky,” Magera told The Observer.

“The smaller teams tend to be very motivated and keen to show that they can match the bigger team; so, we are not taking them lightly or for granted.”

Magera says SC Villa are in the Uganda Cup to compete for the trophy.

“As SC Villa, we never enter competitions to make numbers; we enter these tournaments to try and win them, and this year will not be different.”

SC Villa, nine-time winners of the competition, last lifted the trophy in 2005. The Jogoos will welcome back the CHAN crew of Gift Fred and Kenneth Ssemakula.

Travis Mutyaba, who was also with the national team in Algeria for Chan, however, will not be available after linking up with the U-20 team that is preparing for the Afcon due next month in Egypt. Magera is also wary of the state of the field ahead of the Kireka United clash.

“Sometimes the main division teams struggle in such games because the state of the field makes it hard for the more fancied team to get into their rhythm of play but we aren’t going to make excuses; we must do the job.”