Football justice may finally hand SC Villa the leverage they crave in Saturday’s Stanbic Uganda Cup final against Kitara at Fufa Technical Centre in Njeru.
Whereas Villa narrowly missed out on the Uganda Premier League title despite arguably playing the most attractive and organised football in the division, Kitara’s spirited campaign and resilient Cup run equally make them deserving contenders for silverware.
Villa ended the season third on 61 points, six behind newly crowned champions Vipers, but many neutrals viewed the Jogoos as the league’s most tactically refined side under Serbian coach Zeljko Kovacevic.
Their closing run, highlighted by emphatic victories over Nec and UPDF, has further fuelled belief among Villa faithful that a record equalling tenth Uganda Cup crown is within reach.
The latest statement came on Saturday when Villa defeated UPDF 2-1 through goals from Isaac Mpagi and Patrick Kakande, a result that sharpened focus on the showdown against Wasswa Bbosa’s Kitara side.
Kitara, meanwhile, were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw against Police in Hoima after twice fighting back through Patrick Kaddu and Jimmy Kalema.
Eyes on Caf
Kovacevic believes Villa’s strong finish has created the right mentality ahead of the final as the club seeks a return to continental football via the Caf Confederation Cup.
‘We wanted to win the last game and go into the final with a good feeling,’ Kovacevic said after the UPDF victory.
‘It prepared us for the final cup game against Kitara and we will try to win and go for Africa because that is our target.
‘We have had good and bad games but we still have room to improve and that is my job. We still have 40 percent to improve our players. Ugandan football is interesting because every game is not easy. The fans should expect us to fight. Kitara is a good team but we shall give it everything.’
Villa’s title near miss will continue to sting considering how long they stayed in contention before Vipers eventually pulled away with 67 points. Yet the Jogoos’ consistency, defensive discipline and technical structure have restored optimism around the country’s most decorated club.
Golden Ahimbisibwe
At KCCA , league top scorer Ivan Ahimbisibwe also reflected on missed opportunities after the Kasasiro Boys completed their campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Mbarara City to finish second on 62 points.
Ahimbisibwe, who scored 14 league goals, admitted KCCA lacked the consistency needed to sustain their title challenge.
‘I’m delighted for this wonderful season. I have always wanted to win the golden boot but my team didn’t win the trophy,’ Ahimbisibwe said.
‘We worked so hard but were unlucky. In the off-season, I want to work on my scoring and being more clinical because I missed a couple of chances this season.’
Stanbic Uganda Cup
Final: Saturday
Kitara vs. SC Villa