Africa-Press – Uganda. The race for the 2022/23 Fufa Big League season still looks indeterminate and early for prediction but definitely the odds are stacked on former Uganda Premier League sides and veteran teams in the division to earn the three spots.
Mbarara City looked shaky during the preseason after losing a considerable number of players but the team started with a statement by beating Booma 3-1 at home, the second best result of day 1.
The team travels to Jinja today to face Jinja North in a match their head coach Sadiq Ssempijja rated “a must win” in order to take charge of the table.
“We have to fight hard to win because we feel Mbarara City is a bigger team [compared to them],” Ssempijja asserted.
“We worked together for over two months and I believe the new players have adapted well to the environment and my philosophy. The trick is to make sure we keep in the race early enough so that we don’t play catch-up under pressure,” he added.
The Ankole Lions visit is not expected to be that simple. The home team, that forced a draw against Ndejje University away last week, boosts a number of players with topflight experience but most notably coach Abduswamadu Musafiri who guided the now-defunct Sadolin Paints and Myda to the UPL.
“Jinja North might be a new team in the Big League but we have players who have some experience. I have been in the league for some time and one thing I have noted is that the teams are almost the same but the only difference is the level of organisation and taking chances,” Musafiri said ahead of their first home game at the Kyabazinga Stadium in Bugembe.
In the other games, Police will host Nec in a battle of the forces, Kataka start their campaign against Calvary in Njeru and Kitara travel to Masindi to play Booma.
Kataka are serving a five match home stadium ban and has to pay two points and two goals for hooliganism acts.
StarTimes Fufa Big League
Thursday fixtures- 4pm
Nec vs. Police – Bugolobi
Kaaro Karungi vs. Soroti City – Ibanda
Northern Gateway vs. Luweero United -Lira
Booma vs. Kitara – Masindi
Jinja North vs. Mbarara City – Bugembe
Lugazi vs. Ndejje University – Lugazi
Kataka vs. Calvary FC FUFA Technical Centre – Njeru
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