Saturday, September 6
*Express FC Vs Onduparaka – 3PM
*Busoga United Vs Bright Stars – 4PM
*Police FC Vs Mbarara – 4PM
*Proline FC Vs SC Villa – 4PM
Police FC will be without head coach Abdallah Mubiru when they play host to Mbarara City in a StarTimes Uganda Premier League game on Saturday.
Coach Mubiru, who doubles as the acting head coach for the National team, travelled with the Uganda Cranes in Kenya ahead of the friendly set on Sunday at Moi International stadium.
This leaves assistant coach John Luyinda in charge of the dugout in a game that has been shifted to Namboole due to unavailability of Wakissha.
Police FC have -3 points going into matchday three and will be targeting to pay the debt in full in a bid to set a clean slate.
The side were docked off three points when they lost their league opener against Onduparaka FC by forfeiture – Police FC were in Kenya for EAPCCO games and they didn’t turn up in Luzira.
On matchday two, Police lost 2-0 at home to BUL FC at Wakissha with Deogracious Ojok and Walter Ochora on target for the visitors.
Police has signed Hood Kaweesa but this game might have come early for him to feature due to work permit issues.
The club that lost Juma Balinya and defender Paul Willa to Young Africans and Vipers respectively, have signed Mubarak Nsubuga, Yusuf Ssozi, Samson Kigozi, Henry Katongole, Herman Wasswa, Denis Rukundo among others.
Ruben Kimera who started on bench against BUL is expected to play a big part while Johnson Odong and Ben Ocen will be the other source of goals.
The Ankole Lions on the other hand, have three points – They beat Proline 3-0 but lost to SC Villa in a game played under floodlights.
Brian Ssenyondo’s team will seek to bounce back and will feel that this is the right time and chance to take on struggling Police FC.
Paul Mucureezi stayed in the country despite training with the Uganda Cranes for a friendly in Kenya and will be the club’s source of inspiration on Saturday.
Last season, Pius Kaggwa and a brace from Juma Balinya gave Police FC a 3-1 win with Ibrahim Orit scoring a consolation at Lugogo.
In the reverse fixture, Mbarara had won 2-0 with Jude Ssemugabi and Ivan Eyam on target.
In the 2017/18 season, Mbarara through goals from Hilary Mukundane and Siraje Musindo, beat Police FC 2-1 while Basan Safi scored in the 75th minute for the visitors at Kakyeka in a game which was highlighted by poor officiating.
The second round fixture at Namboole ended goalless.
In short, this will be the fifth league meeting between Police and Mbarara – The Cops have won once, drawn as many and lost as twice to the Ankole Lions.
