MATCH PREVIEW: BUL FC VS MBARARA CITY

January 06, 2024

Uganda Premier League

BUL FC Vs Mbarara City

FUFA Technical Centre

Kick-off: 4pm

BUL FC host Mbarara City in their first game on home turf in 2024 at FUFA technical centre in Njeru on Saturday.

After going six games without defeat, the Eastern Giants fell to a 2-1 beating on Wednesday away at Gaddafi FC and will be looking for a positive response at home as a big three points are up for grabs.

BUL have by no doubt had an impressive start to the 2023/24 campaign, hitting the ground running from the onset and bossing the standings for a long while now.

They sit at the top of the pile with ten wins, two draws and two losses from their 14 matches – counting 32 points, three ahead of the second placed Kitara FC who have played a game more.

Mbarara City have been in contrasting form however as they have won just three games, drawn seven and lost four of their 14 matches so far.

They come into the game off the back of a 2-1 victory over Wakiso Giants on Tuesday. The result took them to the 11th place on the table with a tally of 16 points, three above the Purple Sharks who occupy the last relegation spot.

BUL and Mbarara City last met in March 2022, with the game ending 1-1 at Kakyeka stadium in Mbarara. This is going to be the 11th league clash between the sides.

Team News

The game has come too early for midfielder Pascal Ngobi and will have to sit out this one as he continues with his rehabilitation. He’s the only player set to miss out tomorrow.

BUL is the only team yet to lose a home fixture as of now and coach Abbey Kikomeko has urged his charges to utilize the home advantage to return to winning ways and close the first round in style.

“We are playing our last game in the first round – following a defeat at Gaddafi, a game which was not easy given that it was even a derby. But we are playing tomorrow against Mbarara City at our home ground,” he said.

“We have never lost a game at home, the last time we played here, we beat Busoga United 1-0 but tomorrow we are playing a game that is also not going to be easy for us. Nevertheless, I know we have that winning mentality at home.”

“We shall fight hard to see that we bounce back from our previous loss. The boys are prepared and I think we shall get the three points out of that game.”

Striker Samuel  Ssekamatte said;

“It is our last fixture of the first round. We are coming from a loss away from home but this season as players we agreed not to lose at home. And I believe we have done what is required to get maximum points tomorrow.”

“We have made corrections and rectified the mistakes we did in our previous game.  We have put the loss behind us and all we are looking for is maximum points.”

Head to Head

P10 W3 D4 L3

Both sides have met in ten league matches, and the encounters have produced three wins for BUL, three for Mbarara City and four draws.

Last four meetings

March 28, 2022

Mbarara City 1-1 BUL FC

November 02, 2021

BUL FC 1-0 Mbarara City

May 9, 2021

BUL FC 1-1 Mbarara City

March 17, 2021

Mbarara City 1-1 BUL FC

Match Facts

  • BUL have won five games and drawn one, amassing 16 points from a possible 18 in six home matches.
  • The Eastern Giants are also unbeaten in nine home matches – stretching back to April last year. They have registered five wins and four draws along the streak.
  • Out of the six clean sheets they have managed this term, four have come at FUFA technical centre.
  • It is only on defeat for BUL in their past seven matches. They have also scored in each of them.
  • They have lost two games in 14 matches at the present but all the defeats were away from home – the 2-0 defeat at UPDF in November and the 2-1 loss at Gaddafi FC merely a day ago.
  • Kikomeko’s side is unbeaten in their past four league games against Mbarara City – winning one and drawing three. Actually BUL’s last slump to Mbarara City happened close to four years ago, the 1-0 loss at Kakyeka stadium in February 2020.
  • Also in their previous five home matches against the Ankole Lions, the Eastern Giants have three wins and two draws. They scored eight goals across them and conceded just two.
  • This fixture has produced 19 goals since 2017, and BUL has 11 to their name.
  • Mbarara City have played six away matches, lost and drawn three in equal shares – picking three points from a possible 18. They drew at Express, Busoga United and UPDF, and lost to Gaddafi, Maroons and URA.
  • Their goal count on the road is two, while they have conceded seven.
  • They are winless in 21 topflight away games – counting from October 2021. Along that winless streak, they have drawn in only four outings.
  • The Ankole Lions’ last away victory on the road in the premier league was against Kyetume FC in June 2021 (Kyetume 1-3 Mbarara City).
  • Their eight goals this season are the fewest by any side in the league.
  • But they are the draw masters currently with seven stalemates, the most in the division.
  • And they have won and drawn two games apiece; losing just once in their immediate last five matches altogether. The defeat came at URA in December.

Match officials

The referee for this match is Sabilla Ali. Sabilla will be assisted by Kateregga Ashiraf and Mafumu Mustapha as the first and second assistant referee respectively. Naigaga Habiba will be the fourth official while Kalyango Ali will be the referee assessor.

Match Coverage
For the best live experience, all fans should flock to FUFA technical centre but they can alternatively follow the action through our social media channels below, with full text coverage during the game, followed by a match report.
Twitter: @bulfc1
Facebook: Bul Football Club – Jinja
Instagram: bulfc
YouTube: BUL FC TV