University League: Gulu and Nkumba

PEPSI UIVERSITY FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Saturday fixture

Gulu v Nkumba

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Nkumba University head coach Sulaiman Bbosa's hopes are in his striking line led by Derrick Kiberu as they visit Gulu University in the Pepsi University Football League on Saturday.

Nkumba are league pioneers, having registered their best performance in 2016, where they finished as runners-up to then champions Kampala University.

The two teams have met three times. Nkumba won two of the duels.

Nkumba have since 2017 fallen on hard times, failing to make it past the group stage.

Prior to the 2017 meeting at Namboole, Gulu and Nkumba also met in the 2016 quarter-finals, which Nkumba won after a goalless draw in Gulu and 1-0 win in Entebbe.

However, Bbosa who replaced long-serving coach Patrick Ssebuliba, believes that now is the time for Nkumba to return to their glory days.

"Nkumba have always been a powerhouse in football and I believe we can return to those days when we would seriously compete for the trophy.

"The team has been undergoing a rebuilding phase and now I think we are ready to compete," he said.

Meanwhile, Gulu University coach Calvin Okello is also eyeing a return to the glory days of 2016 and 2017, when the side used to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition.

"Previously we have been qualifying for the knockout stage of the competition and our objective this year is to at least do the same," he said.

"We have been drawn in a very tough group and so we need to make sure that we win all our home games and push for draws away."