Featured: Action between URA FC (yellow) and Mbarara City FC at Namboole. Courtesy photo

Friday, August 2
*Mbarara City FC Vs URA FC – 4:00PM

Mbarara City will play host to URA FC in the 2019 FUFA Pilsner Super eight quarter final encounter at Kakyeka Stadium in Mbarara.

What promises to be a pulsating affair, brings together two premier league sides.

Pressure will be under the tax collectors who finished third in the league last season and have made reinforcements.

Coach Sam Ssimbwa will test his new guns – The coach has made 12 new signings. URA FC has also released nine players.

However, he will miss the services of three stars – Shafic Kagimu, James Alitho and Paul Mbowa who are in Uganda Cranes camp preparing for CHAN qualifiers.

“We will miss our stars but I think I have enough and good players to negotiate past Mbarara and go on to win this Pilsner title,” said Ssimbwa in a press conference on Thursday where he asked for fair officiating.

Fessali Najib, Hassan Kalega, David Bagoole and Ibrahim Dada, Samuel Mwaka, Ashraf Madela, Ivan Ntege, Brian Majwega, Anwar Ntege, John Ssemazzi, Ivan Sserubiri and Mikidad ssenyonga are the new signings for URA FC this season.

The tax collectors on the other hand, have offloaded Peter Lwasa, Odong Matthew Tayo, Nyanzi Abdullah among others.

First test for Brian Ssenyondo

Mbarara beat Police FC 2-0 on the last day of the 2018/19 season to end a poor run of seven games without a win – The Ankole lions had lost thrice and registered four goalless draws in that ugly spell.

That was Livingston Mbabazi’s last game as Mbarara City coach before crossing over to Onduparaka FC.

Amidst all the rumours that included Jackson Mayanja to taking over the Ankole Lions, the mantle was given to a less known Brian Ssenyondo from Synergy FC.

Ssenyondo who was initially appointed as an assistant as the club looks for a head coach, was later elevated to the top role.

This will be his first hurdle and will have to show everyone including his bosses that he is the right manager to lift the club to greater heights.

To do this, he will have to be without new signing Gaddafi Gadinho but last year’s stars like Paul Mucureezi, Ibrahim Orit will pose big threat to URA’s defence.

Also Read – Mbarara City FC Offloads Players

Mbarara have also added other signings that include Bashir Muweesi, Solomon Okwalinga and Tom Ikara who is on loan from KCCA FC.

Captained by Hillary Mukundane, the Western giants will seek to capitalise on home support to stun URA FC.

This will be the fifth meeting between the sides, the other four (all in the league) have ended in draws.