The first derby of the season takes shape this Saturday as Jinja sides Kirinya-Jinja SSS and Bul battle at Bugembe Stadium.
Charles Ayiekho and his side were in the seventh heaven following their 1-0 victory over URA last Saturday and await their rivals in a fairly positive momentum.
After opening their second campaign in topflight with a barren draw against Express, Kirinya-Jinja SSS who had to wait until their seventeenth game in the Uganda Premier League last season to secure their first win that came in form of a 2-0 win over Sadolin Paints defeated URA last weekend in their first home game this term.
Isaac Ntege converted a free kick in that game after Musa Esenu was fouled at the edge of the box, and the three points were for Ayiekho’s side to bag.
A clean sheet was kept in that game which left them as one of the only two sides in the league yet to concede a goal this season; the other team being Vipers.
Going by their display in their first two games and considering their home form, Kirinya-Jinja SSS are majority’s choice to win the tie, but Ayeikho doesn’t want to be tagged as favorites.
“Because we beat URA doesn’t mean we are on top of the world,” Ayiekho said. “URA was URA and this is Bul. It is a derby and they come with a totally different approach. We can’t be favorites because we beat URA. Like I always do, we shall take this game as it comes and we shall treat it as cup final.” he added.
Unlike their neighbors who have enjoyed a good start, Bul approach the derby on the back of a 1-0 loss to Vipers. Kefa Kisala’s team opened their campaign with a home goalless draw against debutants Mbarara City, but fell prey to the Venoms in their first away match.
In tomorrow’s game, they will be looking to get their campaign going and snatch the bragging rights, but they’ll be aware derbies are tricky.
Kisala doesn’t want to put his players on pressure so they’ll approach the game as a ‘normal game’.
“There’s really no difference between this game and other games,” Kisala who is on his second stint at the club said. “The objective remains the same and that’s to win. Thinking about it as a derby is inviting unnecessary pressure so we shall treat it like a normal game.”
Last season, these two sides fired blanks in both their meetings, but with both sides revamping their attacks, fans will be expectant of goals
Kirinya-Jinja SSS added in Esenu and Ibrahim Kayiwa who’ve undoubtedly enjoyed good starts. Esenu was unlucky not be awarded a penalty against Express.
Bul are still waiting for their Congolese striker Jean Pierre Mwindu to be given the ICT, but they got Fred Kyambadde formerly at Sadolin Paints and Richard Wandyaka and James Otim are also at the club.
Otim will be facing his former bosses if selected.
