Saturday August 22, 2026
- Hamz stadium, Nakivubo 7pm
On Saturday, the second piece of silverware in the current pre-season will be contested for as league champions Vipers face Stanbic Cup winners Kitara at Hamz stadium, Nakivubo.
The 2026/26 UPL season curtain raiser provides Vipers new head coach Denis Lavagne the first test of Ugandan football against a usually tough opponent.
The French man who has always insisted that the Venoms’ season starts with the competition expressed his team’s readiness for clash.
“I think the team is ready because after six weeks of preparations, we played some games in Cecafa and against Nairobi United so the team is good,” he told the media.
“The players are motivated to play this game and win the trophy. We are looking forward to playing this game and know the level of the team in terms of competitive football.
“We face a good opponent and it is a good preparation for the Caf Champions league match that comes in two weeks.”
Lavagne knows what to expect from Wasswa Bbosa’s team after watching them play on a number of occasions.
“I watched a little bit of Kitara games and they are a physical team who also play direct long balls so we have to be ready in the air and also fight for all the second balls. Then control the game because if we do, we shall have opportunities to score,” he explained.
For Bbosa, the preparations through the Fufa Super 8 have given the team the readiness they need to face the champions.
“After the Fufa Super 8 tournament, we saw where we need to correct and thus ready for the game against Vipers,” said Bbosa.
“They are champions and so we are in different competitions. The goal is to win and I call upon the fans, our 12th player to show up and give us all the needed support,” he added.
Last season, Kitara were unbeaten in all four meetings with one boardroom win and three draws in the league and Uganda Cup.
