Vipers and KCCA renew rivalry under Kitende floodlights in UPL showdown

Uganda Premier League
Results
Maroons 0 URA 0
UPDF 1 Police 2
SC Villa 1 Kitara 0
Today
Calvary v Entebbe UPPC, 4pm
Vipers v KCCA, 8pm
Saturday 
Lugazi v Buhimba, 4pm
NEC v BUL, 8pm

Uganda Premier League (UPL) giants Vipers SC and KCCA FC renew their fierce rivalry tonight under the floodlights of St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, in what promises to be a thrilling first league meeting of the season between the two heavyweights.

Vipers, the defending champions, will be looking to extend their dominance over KCCA after a perfect record against them last season.

The Venoms held KCCA to a 1-1 draw at Kitende before registering a 2-0 win in the reverse league fixture at Lugogo and another 2-0 victory in the Uganda Cup final at FUFA Stadium Kadiba in Mengo, to complete a famous domestic double.

This time, the visitors will arrive in better form, sitting top of the UPL table with 11 points from five matches, three wins and two draws. KCCA’s solid start under coach Jackson Magera has made them early pace-setters in the title race.

Vipers, on the other hand, lie 13th with three points, but their low standing is deceptive. The Kitende-based side has only played one league match so far due to their participation in the CAF Champions League preliminary rounds. Their solitary league outing was a narrow 1-0 win over Entebbe UPPC last week on Saturday, courtesy of a second-half strike from midfielder Abdulkarim Watambala.

Tonight’s clash will be Vipers’ third home fixture of the season, following two continental games, a 1-0 win over African Stars and a 2-1 loss to Zambia’s Power Dynamos, which saw them bow out of the CAF Champions League on a 3-2 aggregate. Coach Ivan Minnaert’s side will be eager to bounce back and avoid a second consecutive home defeat.

KCCA last won at Kitende in the 2023/24 season, when Mustafa Kizza’s late penalty secured a 1-0 victory. They also triumphed 3-1 at Lugogo that season, yet Vipers went on to clinch the league title ahead of them. The Kasasiro Boys, who last lifted the UPL crown six years ago, are determined to end their trophy drought and reclaim supremacy from their rivals, who have won four of the last six league titles.

Vipers coach Minnaert confirmed that attacking midfielder Allan Okello, who sat out the Entebbe game, will feature against his former club. “We are playing at home and must make Kitende a fortress. No team should come here and take points,” said Minnaert.

KCCA coach Magera, buoyed by back-to-back wins over Express (1-0) and Calvary (4-2), urged his team to tighten up defensively. “We are in good shape, but we need to be more alert at the back. Against Calvary, we conceded cheap goals,” he cautioned.

Elsewhere, newcomers Calvary FC host UPPC Entebbe at Midigo in Yumbe in their first home match of the season. On Saturday, NEC take on BUL at Lugogo, while Lugazi welcome Buhimba United Saints at Lugazi Stadium in Najjembe.