MATCH PREVIEW: VIPERS SC VS BUL FC

Friday December 22, 2023

Uganda Premier League

Vipers SC Vs BUL FC

St.Mary’s Stadium

Kick-off: 7pm

BUL FC will aim to pull away further at the top of the Uganda premier league table when they travel to Vipers SC on Friday night.

The Eastern Giants made it two draws on the trot just about two weeks ago, registering a 1-1 stalemate against NEC. Samuel Ssekamatte came off the bench to pounce in a header to help BUL to their second draw of the campaign.

They remained at the top of the league standings with that result, counting 26 points. Second-placed Vipers also dropped points against Maroons three days later in a one all stalemate; thus, BUL can open up a five-point lead at the summit with a win in this match.

Abbey Kikomeko’s men have eight league victories to this point, suffering just one defeat in eleven rounds. They have also won two games and drawn one of their last four meetings with the venoms, and will be looking to build on that form coming into this clash.

Vipers on the other hand are also buzzing with form after recording seven wins, but they were made to dig deep against Maroons to rescue a point in their last outing.

BUL won 1-0 the last time the two teams met but it was in the FUFA super eight tournament. Friday’s encounter is going to be the 27th battle between the sides in all competitions since 2011.

Team News

Coach Abbey Kikomeko remains without the services of midfielder Pascal Ngobi because of an injury and the suspended pair of defenders – Walter Ochora and Benon Tahomera.

But he confirmed Ronald Otti and Reagan Kalyowa are back to full fitness and ready to give Vipers headache.

It will be the first time playing under the floodlights this season for the Eastern Giants as it is a night game but the coach said, that will not be an issue and will be moving in for the kill.

“We are prepared for the 7pm match. I don’t see any difference between playing at 7pm or 4pm, much as this time it is going to be under floodlights,” he said.

“The boys are prepared and ready to give us whatever is needed to win the game. We are playing a team that’s at home, a team that knows its pitch well and plays under floodlights quite often but that is not going to be an issue to us.”

“The players we have are not juniors, so, they will come out to play and fight for the maximum points.”

Midfielder Ibrahim Mugulusi said;

“It is a top of the table clash and Vipers is one of the big teams in Uganda but we have to get three points out of it.”

“As players, we are much prepared. We all know we didn’t win our previous two games and we just need to get back to our winning ways.”

Head to head

P26 W4 D7 L15

The teams have faced off on 26 occasions in all competitions since 2011, producing four wins for BUL, fifteen for Vipers and seven draws.

Last four encounters

June 12, 2022 (Uganda cup final)

Vipers SC 1-3 BUL FC

December 17, 2023

Vipers SC 2-1 BUL FC

May 23, 2023

BUL FC 1-1 Vipers SC

August 12, 2023

BUL FC 1-0 Vipers SC (Super 8 quarter finals)

Match Facts

  • BUL has the best away record in the division after winning four games, drawing and losing one in equal shares from six away matches to pick 13 points from a possible 18 on the road. They have scored nine goals and conceded five in the process.
  • After losing to UPDF, BUL have gone four matches unbeaten but have only managed to draw in their last two games – against Express and NEC FC.
  • They have also scored in all but one game this season, the 2-0 defeat at the army side in November.
  • The Eastern Giants have also kept five clean sheets in 11 matches.
  • Out of the eleven league visits to Vipers, BUL have won only one game – the 1-0 victory in mid-April of 2016, in Buikwe.
  • BUL’s four victories against the Venoms were far in between as the first was in February 2014 (BUL 2-1 Vipers SC), the second arrived two years later in April 2016 (Vipers SC 0-1 BUL FC) before the unforgettable triumph in Uganda cup followed six years on ( Vipers 1-3 BUL). This was trailed by a 1-0 win in the quarter finals of the FUFA super eight in August 2023.
  • It is seven years since the Eastern Giants won an away league fixture against Vipers, winning 1-0 in April of 2016 in Buikwe.
  • But the Eastern Giants have won two games and drawn one of their last four meetings with the venoms across all competitions.
  • This fixture has produced a total of 60 goals and BUL have 20 to their name since 2011.
  • Only six stalemates have come in the games involving the sides, and four were goalless.
  • Vipers have the best home record so far with four wins and a draw in five matches.
  • They also hold a record of 40 local games without defeat at St. Mary’s stadium, winning 33 and drawing seven. Their last loss at home was two years ago when they fell 2-0 to URA in November 2021.
  • After losing to KCCA FC, the venoms have now gone four games without defeat.
  • They have also kept six clean sheets in their eleven matches this season.

Match Officials

The match’s referee will be Ssali Mashood. Katenya Ronald and Musisi Brianson will run the lines as the first and second assistant referee respectively. Olemu George will be the fourth official while Mawanda Haruna will be the referee assessor.

Match Coverage

This mouthwatering clash is live on television and all our social media channels will relay minute to minute text commentary concurrently.

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