Under-fire Byekwaso seeks redemption as SC Villa face Lugazi in Uganda Cup

SC Villa head coach Morley Byekwaso breathed a sigh of relief last Thursday as his team secured a 3-1 victory over Bright Stars, marking their first away league win of the season.

The result ended a concerning run of back-to-back defeats against UPDF and Maroons, which had fueled growing discontent among fans.

Today, Byekwaso and his squad return to action, this time in the Uganda Cup, where they face a resilient Lugazi side in Najjembe, Buikwe District. The coach will be hoping to build on the momentum from the Bright Stars win and steer his team into the quarterfinals.

Villa can draw confidence from their earlier performances in the Uganda Cup, having comfortably defeated Seeta United 3-0 and Simba 1-0 in the round of 64 and 32, respectively. However, both opponents were regional league sides, meaning Villa, as a top-tier club, was expected to dominate such matchups.

With their league campaign struggling—Villa currently sit ninth, a staggering 22 points behind leaders Vipers—the Uganda Cup represents their only realistic chance of silverware this season. For Byekwaso, lifting the trophy could also be his best opportunity to salvage his job and win back the support of disillusioned fans after a disappointing debut season as head coach.

However, Villa will be without two key players: captain Ronald Ssekiganda and playmaker Patrick Kakande, who are on national duty with the Uganda Cranes in Egypt, preparing for World Cup qualifiers against Mozambique and Guinea later this month.

Lugazi, despite being league debutants, have been one of the season’s surprise packages. Sitting 10th in the table and 10 points clear of the relegation zone, they have built a strong home record, losing just twice at their ground. They have also proven their ability to compete with top teams, securing wins against NEC and Express, while holding Vipers, KCCA, and Villa to draws in league matches.

Adding to Lugazi’s advantage is their head coach, Steven Bogere, a former SC Villa midfielder, who has orchestrated the team’s remarkable turnaround since taking charge last October when they were languishing in the relegation zone.

Villa’s defense will need to be particularly wary of Lugazi’s attacking trio—Abdul Kalanzi, Samuel Ssemugugu, and Sharif Saaka—who have been pivotal to their success this season.

As the pressure mounts on Byekwaso, today’s clash against Lugazi could prove decisive in determining the trajectory of his tenure and SC Villa’s season.

Uganda Cup

Round of 16

Yesterday Results

Gaddafi 1 Kitara 2

Maroons  0 Police 1

Tuesday  

Lugazi v SC Villa, 3pm

BUL v Total, 3pm

KCCA v Rwenzori Lions, 7pm