Experienced goalkeeper Mathias Muwanga and Uganda Premier League side SC Villa are soon finalising talks ahead of a transfer deal.

Reports indicate the talks were positive and the two sides will soon be agreeing to a two-year employment agreement.

Muwanga is set to meet with the club’s secretariat within the week and put a pen on paper after concluding his FUFA Drum duty.

His side Busoga will be taking on Karamoja at Naitakwae Playground, Moroto in the second log after registering a 4-1 victory earlier.

Muwanga is set to reunite with Isaac Mwesigwa who was CEO at Express a place they won and excelled.

While at Express, the custodian kept 13 clean sheets hence clinching the 2020/21 golden glove accolade.

The thrilling performance guided the Red Eagles’ to their seventh Uganda Premier League title in the club’s history.

In the same season, the team went on to lift the CECAFA Kagame Cup.

He spent three seasons at Wankulukuku managing 54 club appearances and 24 clean sheets across the adventurous journey.

SC Villa Vice President Daniel Bakaki has revealed the reason for the changes in the technical team after a fair run in the just concluded 2022-23 campaign.

SC Villa relieved Jackson Magera and Ibrahim Kirya from their coaching role only to be replaced by Serbian tactician Dusan Stojanovic (head coach) and Morley Byekwaso (assistant coach).

However, Bakaki revealed the changes were not because the last season was poor but rather because it’s part of the rebuilding process.

“We are not renewing contracts of the previous technical team, not that they performed poorly but we need progress,” Bakaki said during the unveiling ceremony.

“Last season was challenging because of the manner in which it ended. It gave us something to learn and we needed to take another step in the rebuilding process,” he added.

“We have appointed the Serbian gaffer because we looked at him and released that his African football experience can take us to a greater level.”

According to Bakaki, the new coaching team will be given enough time to build a team and grow a strong and competitive team that can take them back to its glory days.

Confirmation of the executive’s support 

“They (the coaching team) should be sure of the management’s support to see that we achieve the set target as a team.”

“What has failed many clubs is interference from above. We will let the coaches take their decisions, give them support and enough time,” he added.

In other appointments, the club replaced William Nkemba with Isaac Mwesigwa as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

SC Villa’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Isaac Mwesigwa has underlined that his new home is the biggest club.

Mwesigwa joins the Jogoo after he run down his employment contract at Express FC where his arm of work yielded positive results.

“There is no bigger club than Villa in the country,” Mwesigwa said during his unveiling at the club’s office in Industrial Area, Kampala.

“I want to thank Villa management for trusting me. This is an exciting and challenging role. There is no bigger club than Villa in this country,” he added.

“With the support from the club and fans, the aim is to build a sustainable SC Villa. We want to be the best in Africa again so we ask for your (fans) support,” he concluded.

While at the Red Eagles’ camp he guided the team to the league title as well as the CECAFA championship.

SC Villa has 16 Uganda Premier League titles and it’s the highest mark within the boundaries of the country.

Their last league title came in 2004. They came so close this season but the fight fell short as they finished the campaign third with only two points away from the summit.

Defender Gift Fred is currently a free agent after his employment contract with SC Villa run-out before the start of the month of June.

Gift was unveiled on August 21, 2021, switching camps from the Regional side Booma FC based in Masindi.

The year before, Gift had guided Ssaza Gomba to the 2020 Masaza Cup triumph as well as being named the best defender of the Uganda Football League (2019).

“My contract with SC Villa has expired but we shall have talks as soon as I get done with Uganda Cranes we shall finalize talks,” Gift revealed.

“I am sure my agent will handle the matter as soon as possible. I have enjoyed life at SC Villa and I would be glad to keep writing my story with the club,” he added.

The defender’s leadership skills were key as the club finished third on the log after a tight and much competitive campaign.

The defender is highly courted by top clubs and it will be a matter of time to confirm where he will be playing from next season.

After a thrilling season, SC Villa’s president Omar Ahmed Mandela promised to strengthen the team ahead of next season and that should be achieved by first keeping the team’s best players.

URA FC head coach Sam Timbe has sent a strong warning to SC Villa ahead of a snapshot end to the ongoing Uganda Premier League.

The two sides are set to lock horns at Muteesa (II) Wankulukuku Stadium in the highly anticipated show on Saturday afternoon.

SC Villa comes in this game seeking maximum points against the Tax Collectors so that they are capable of ending the 19-year wait for a league title.

“We would like to end the season on a high note,” Timbe told the press ahead of the game tomorrow.

“We have prepared ourselves for the last game. It’s going to be a tricky game but we surely want the results. We are one of the teams that came into the league looking for the trophy,” he added.

“It was by bad luck that we are in such a position. So our bosses, players and the technical team want to finish the season in the best of ways.”

Timbe was the man in the dugout as SC Villa won their last title in 2004 after taking over from Sredojevic Milutin Micho who left the club midway through the season.

However, Timbe revealed that they will take on the table leader with no soft spot since they have a target as a team and the result should be determined on a fair-play basis.

“I did not leave SC Villa on the wrong note. So I moved on and I am answerable to my new bosses. So as a club, we shall put up our best and the result will be determined on the field of play and nothing else,” he underlined.

SC Villa are on the summit of the log with 52 points while URA FC are locked at 39 points in the sixth position.

Uganda Cranes head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has named a 42-man list of players ahead of the clash against Algeria in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nation qualifiers.

SC Villa’s in-form forward Charles Bbaale is part of the long list of players that will be preparing for the must-win clash against Algeria.

The left-footed forward has been tremendous for his side and his goals have been crucial in SC Villa’s pursuit of the elusive 17th league title.

He is currently levelled with Express FC’s Allan Kayiwa at the summit of the goal poachers’ list with 12 goals.

The other players from SC Villa are defenders Kenneth Semakula, Gift Fred, Umar Lutalo and Travis Mutyaba thanks to the colourful season that has seen them get close and closer to ending the 19-year title drought.

Uganda is third on the Group F log with four points levelled with Tanzania.

Uganda will lock horns with Algeria on June 18 in their second-last game of the journey before they later take on Niger in September.

 

 

The Uganda Premier League secretariat has announced the adjustment of the kick-off time for the games that will be played on the final day of the campaign.

The new kick-off time will be 3:00 pm switched from the usual 4:00 pm.

“As we draw closer to the season’s end scheduled on Saturday, May 27 with one match left yet the difference between the top three is two points the UPL secretariat has adjusted the time for the last match from 4:00 pm to 3:00 pm,” the document partly read.

“This is done to enable us to hold a successful crowning event at any of the venues for the Club that emerges Champions for the 2022/23 Uganda Premier League,” it continued.

Going into the final day of the league, three teams still have the chance to win the title.

SC Villa sits on top of the 15-teamed log with 52 points after playing 27 games. The 1-0 hard-earned victory against Blacks Power sent the latter to the FUFA Big League while the 16-record champions Villa assumed the summit.

In the second position sits Vipers SC at 50 points. The defending champions lost the top spot after failing to pick maximum against BUL FC. The Venoms have been poor on the road and it was the same as they were held at FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru in a one-all draw.

KCCA FC are third on the log at 50 points after playing to a goalless draw against Busoga United.

On the last day, SC Villa will host URA FC at Wankulukuku, Vipers SC will set a date with Busoga United while KCCA FC will lock horns with Bright Stars FC.

SC Villa edged Blacks Power in a 1-0 victory in the Uganda Premier League at Muteesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku on Tuesday evening.

Charles Bbaale scored the all-important goal as the Jogoos picked maximum points to go on top of the log.

The victory puts head coach Jackson Magera in a position that looks like the glory land with a brighter route to glory.

It continues to be a magical season for the Jogoo who have so far registered 17 victories after playing 27 games in the ongoing campaign.

After a goalless draw at halftime, there were high tempers among the fans who were hungry and eager to see the net shaking.

Seven minutes into the second stanza, Bbaale sent a powerful shot on target after being set up by Sheif Batte and goalkeeper Tony Kyamera was beaten to the occasion.

Blacks Power tried to fight back but Villa’s backline was up to the assignment and kept their goal area safe and intact.

This was the second consecutive loss for Blacks Power hence getting relegated to the Fufa Big League.

The victory takes Villa to the summit with 52 points while Blacks Power are 14th with 23 points.

In the next game, Blacks Power will conclude the campaign by hosting Express at Aki Bua Stadium while SC Villa will welcome URA on the final day of the season.

As the ongoing Uganda Premier League comes to an end the secretariat has taken a decision to adjust the fixture and allow the top three teams to play their last three games on the same dates.

Now, Vipers SC are left with five games, KCCA is left with four while SC Villa has only three on their menu.

After Vipers SC beat KCCA FC 1-0 on Friday, the log became more interesting as the two teams are level at 45 points, one behind table leaders SC Villa.

Jackson Magera’s charges were supposed to host Blacks Power on Tuesday, May 9 but the duel was extended to Tuesday, May 23.

“As you are undoubtedly aware, the SUPL is in its final stages of conclusion with the title not yet decided with four matches (on average) to go,” the document read.

“In the spirit of fair play and equal opportunity, UPL secretariat has made the following fixture arguments to ensure the last three games involving KCCA FC, SC Villa and Vipers are played on the same date and time,” he added.

Remaining fixtures for the three sides

Vipers SC

• Bright Stars (A)
• Onduparaka (A)
• Express FC (H)
• BUL FC (A)
• Busoga United (H)

KCCA FC

• Express FC (A)
• BUL FC (H)
• Busoga FC (A)
• Bright Stars (H)

SC Villa

• Blacks Power (H)
• UPDF FC (A)
• URA FC (H)

Wednesday, May 3

• Maroons FC 1-0 SC Villa
• Arua Hill SC 4-1 Express FC
• Blacks Power 1-1 URA FC
• Bright Stars 2-0 Busoga United

Maroons registered a 1-0 well-deserved victory against log leaders in the Uganda Premier League in Luzira on Wednesday evening.

The all-important goal from Ronald Orombi inspired the Prison Wardens past the Jogoo on a cloudy evening.

Jackson Magera’s troops suffered the seventh loss of the ongoing campaign after playing 25 games off the lineup of 28.

In the 24th minute, Ivan Bogere thought he had given SC Villa the lead but his bouncing header rattled off the woodwork before custodian Simon Tamale finger-tipped the rebound.

Eight minutes later, the Wardens took the lead through Ronald Orombi whose powerful strike found the back of the net.

This came after Edward Masembe threw his body on the line to block Brian Kayanja’s hard effort but Orombi was in the perfect place to rebound.

Three minutes after an hour mark, Charles Bbaale set up Patrick Jonah Kakande but the forward’s touch was denied by the goalpost before Tamale picked the remains.

In the last minute of the game, Tamale fumbled with the ball and lost possession to Travis Mutyaba but the latter’s resultant effort went above the frame.

The loss leaves SC Villa on top of the log with 46 points while Maroons move fifth with 36.

Next on the log, SC Villa hosts Blacks Power on Tuesday, May 9 while Maroons visit Gaddafi on the same day.