Troubled Villa players to undergo therapy

By Swalley Kenyi

Bell Uganda Super League

Maroons 2  KCC   1

B’mwaya 2  Villa   0

Simba    0 BIDCO 0

Express 0  Proline  0 

F.Master  2 Police    0

Victors 1   Utoda   0  

URA    0    Water   0

SC Villa manager Mike Mutebi‘s woes spiraled from bad to worse on Tuesday but the club chairman Fred Muwema is not about to pile another pressure.

The newly recruited manager, who hoped to pick his first victory for the Jogoos instead succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bunamwaya in Buikwe.

But Muwema defended Mutebi saying that it was due to the pressure on their little known players, who cannot handle the demand at Villa Park.

Muwema is due to meet the player at Villa Park on Thursday in a bid to deflate the pressure and have them play with confidence to secure wins in subsequent matches.

With mainly youthful and inexperienced players, Villa is third from bottom of the table of 15 teams in the league after managing a single win in 13 matches and only four goals scored.

“We need to develop a policy for containment of pressure. The fans should be calm. We have 100 per cent support for the manager. We know they (Mutebi and players) need to be given sometime because these players inexperienced,” Muwema said.

In the game against Bunamwaya, strikes from Tony Odur and Kizito Luwagga handed Mutebi his first loss at Villa Park.

Mutebi had previously since taking charge at the club registered successive draws against BIDCO and KCC FC.

In the absence of injured strikers Moses Ndaula and Herman Wasswa, and marauding left back Isaac Muleme, Villa looked ordinary and a team short of confidence.

The result propelled Bunamwaya to third-place with 23 points, level with second-placed URA FC and just a point behind Express, who were held to a goalless draw by Proline at Wankulukuku.

The draw left Express fans furious and craving for the blood of match referee Alex Muhabi.

It took the intervention of the Police to rescue Muhabi, who the fans accused for unfairly dismissing coach Sam Ssimbwa from the technical bench. The referee accused him of abusive language.

In the early kick off at Namboole, Maroons fought from a goal down in the first half to beat KCC FC 2-1 and hand caretaker coach MorleyByekwaso his first defeat since taking over from suspended Matia Lule in November.

Brian Majwega’s strike helped KCC to a lead before Maroons team captain Martin Mpuga equalized with a header early the second half.

And with seven minutes left on the clock, George Abege out-muscled KCC central defenders Umar Hitmana and Richard Malinga to seal a 2-1 victory.