Express, Villa lock horns 

SC Villa face fierce, but beleaguered rivals Express FC in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League this Sunday, March 5 at the Wankulukuku stadium.

It will be the Jogoos’ third game in the second round of the 2022/23 season, having collected four points from their previous two. This is coincidentally the same state of affairs that Villa was in, before they met Express in the first round at the same ground.

They had played two games, and collected four points. But what was different at the time, particularly in the build-up to that game, Express were promising to defeat Villa, as they had done in the 2-1 second round win in Njeru.

However, as it turned out, Villa won 2-0 on a waterlogged Wankulukuku. That was a major put-off, considering how the wet surface affected the flow of the game.

Yet, even with the dire circumstances in which that game was played, there was a moment of magic from striker, Charles Bbale, whose second goal for Villa, was not only a sucker punch to their eternal enemy, but it was an early contender for goal of the season.

Bbale is set to return for Villa this weekend despite carrying a knock from their last league game against Onduparaka FC in Lira on Friday, February 24. He scored a late winner in that one for a 2-1 victory, and he is determined to push through Villa’s revival, following their first round setbacks, lurking in the shadows for an unlikely seventeenth league championship.

Following their training on Mon- day, February 27 in Kisaasi, Bbale, who is now Villa’s top-scorer with five league goals of the team’s 14, said they were clearly focused on the game against Express.

“The team’s hope is to keep winning. While we were never considered among the teams that could win the league this season, our mindset as a team is different. We have a winners’ mentality and a huge fighting spirit, which we intend to maintain all the way,” Bbale said.

The lanky and averagely built 26 -year-old forward added that while he has received rave reviews from his goals, Villa’s success is not just up to him. The team, as a collection, he noted, has been together.

He said, “We realized at the beginning of the season, that we were probably not at the level of KCCA FC or Vipers SC. But we knew that with hard work, we could match them.”

Right now, Villa are seven points behind KCCA, the table leaders, both on 16 games. Bbale feels that with 12 games still to play, a lot can change. One thing is for sure though; Bbale’s goals have been instrumental in Villa’s charge. Four of them were winners, bringing the Jogoos 12 points of the 28 they have.

It was Bbale’s strikes that ensured Villa’s 1-0 victories over Arua Hill and Bright Stars, and also in the 2-1 victory over UPDF. Jackson Magera, the Villa coach speaks of Bbale in glowing terms.

“Last season, we missed him because of injury. This season, he has made a huge difference to our attack. His size troubles defences on top of his instinctive finishing. He shoots so well on his left foot,” Magera said.

Magera added Bbale reminds him of former Italy striker, Christian Vieri; strong left foot, good speed, positioning and lethal presence in the box. It was Bbale’s strike that would have been the equalizer in Villa’s Uganda Cup game with Bul FC. Bbale is happy that game is going to be replayed.

The forward, who led Gomba to Masaza Cup success in 2021 as overall top-scorer with eight goals in six games, is enjoying the transformation at Villa. It is unfortunate they were docked two points in the first round, following fans’ hooliganism.

Nonetheless, Bbale said that will not stop them from having a go at ending Villa’s league title drought of 19 years. He feels KCCA is not invincible, and beating Express, who have not won any of their last eight league games, keeps Villa close to the top.