The 2022/2023 Startimes Uganda Premier league first round came to a climax with the league breaking up to allow the Uganda Cranes team gear up preparations for the upcoming 2023 CHAN tournament in Algeria which kicks off on 14th January to 4th February next year.
The league took a break as the Kasasiro boys of KCCA FC under coach Morley Byekwaso are in a comfortable lead at the top of the table with 29 points collected from 14 games despite losing out their 9 games unbeaten run against Bright Stars by 1-0 margin on matchday 14.
BUL FC trail in the second position with 27 points just two below log leaders KCCA FC after bouncing back to winning ways as they defeated Maroons FC 5-0 on Wednesday. They had lost their previous game against Vipers 2-1 but they currently sit ahead of the defending champions with a better goal difference.
The defending champions of Vipers SC seem to lose their fight of topping the table after throwing away a glorious opportunity of sitting top, the Venoms lost their matchday 14 against struggling Busoga United by a 1-0 score a day after log leaders KCCA FC had lost against Bright Stars. Vipers currently drop to the third position with 27 points with BUL having a better goal difference.
Wakiso Giants look close to achieving their targets as they have had a better first round of the season as they sit fourth with 25 points from 14 games played so far. The purple sharks have had one of their best performances in the league as they commanded the top of the table for almost two months playing the best football in the league, head coach John Luyinda Ayala seems to be the happiest man with the performances his side has staged this season, they will have a second round full of ambitions with the title race still in their reach.
SC Villa, Arua Hill, Gaddafi and Bright Stars are the most improved teams in the league after starting the season on low note, they finally picked up their winning touch as we came close to the last part of first round with better performances which have seen them improve their standings on the log with SC Villa in the 5th position on 24 points, Arua Hill 6th on 23 points, Gaddafi 7th on 21 points and Bright Stars sitting 8th on 20 points.
Express FC currently sit 9th on the log but the Wankulukuku based club seems to have performed below their expectations as they only managed to gather 17 points from 14 games with squad balancing being a huge weakness to coach James Odoch who started the season as a better replacement for departed Wasswa Bbosa. Their best performances came in during the first seven games as they only lost once, two draws and winning four games but they have struggled in the previous seven games as they only managed to collect three points.
Maroons the underdogs have managed to produce some eye catching performance like their 1-0 win against table leaders KCCA FC with their striker Fred Amaku putting outstanding performances as he currently tops the scorers chart with 7 goals. The prisoners side currently sit 10th on the table with 15 points.
URA FC have been the most disappointing side in the first round of the league, they were dubbed to be one of the title contenders according to how they conducted business in the transfer market but have failed to live up to their worth with the poor performances being hindered with issues in the board room which has seen them win just two games and eight draws to currently sit 11th with 14 points.
The relegation battle will manoeuvre around teams like Blacks Power, UPDF FC, Busoga United and Onduparaka. These sides have faced alot of challenges with Busoga United and Onduparaka being deducted off points for fans indiscipline and they look set to taste relegation eversince earning promotion to the top flight. Blacks Power being one of the three new entrants in the 2022/23 season have only managed to win two games and five draws which has seen them occupy the 12th position on 11 points.
UPDF FC sit 13 with just 10 points whereas Busoga United who are yet to register a draw have lost the highest number of games 10 and won four but currently sit 13 with 9 points as the Competitions disciplinary panel deducting them four points for Indiscipline among their fans.
Onduparaka FC seem to be ready for relegation as they show no sign of getting better soon, they will have to use the second round of the season to rejuvenate their season which saw them play their first five home games away from home. A return to their renown Green light stadium is a push factor which will have to boost their performances if they are to survive relegation, they sit bottom on the table in the 14th position with seven points.
The battle for the golden boot has not yet seen a clear competitor as Fred Amaku of Maroons is currently leading with 7 goals, rejuvenated Nelson Ssenkatuuka of Bright Stars with six goals as well as Vipers Yunus Ssentamu also with six goals despite struggling with injuries, Alex Kitata of Gaddafi also joining the mix with six goals.
Express FC’s Allan Kayiwa, Wakiso Giants’ Owen Kasule and Karim Ndugwa of BUL FC all have five goals to their names
