Express FC coach Wasswa Bbosa has conceded they will face a tough second round in the Ugandan Premier League.
The top-tier took a break a week ago after first-round matches were played and the Red Eagles finished third on the 16-team table with 32 points from 15 matches, four fewer than table-toppers URA FC, who have 36 while champions Vipers SC have 33 points.
With the second round set to kick off on April 3, Express have already resumed training in readiness for the upcoming fixtures but according to Bbosa, the Red Eagles are primed for a tough round of matches.
“I would like to confirm that our squad resumed training yesterday [Monday, March 21], after a six-day break, we have a tough second-round coming up and we have to start preparations as quickly as possible," Bbosa told the club's social media pages.
“Apart from George Senkaaba and Arthur Kiggundu, who are still nursing injuries along with defender Murushid Juuko, who is in camp with Uganda Cranes for Afcon assignment, the rest are fit and available.”
In a previous interview, Express midfielder Abel Etrude revealed their main target was to finish the first round of the top-tier at the top of the table and with an unbeaten run.
The Red Eagles ended their first round of league matches with a 1-0 win against Police FC, a result that came after their 12-match unbeaten run in the top-tier came to an end following a 2-1 defeat against UPDF FC.
"The first round has up and downs but overall the team has done a tremendous job,” Etrude told the club’s social media pages.
“We wanted to end the first round as table leaders but we shall take third and come back better. As an individual, I couldn’t have asked for a better first round, two man-of-the-match awards, and the 12th match unbeaten run."
But after losing to Police, Mubiru came out to claim there is bias in how officials handle the Ugandan Premier League matches.
“First of all, the situation is not good for us as a team because of the way we are being treated,” said Mubiru as per Sports Nation.
“We have been pressed so hard to an extent of fainting. You keep quiet and wait for justice and sometimes getting it is by chance.
“So, what I think and request is that the head of officiating at the federation should be fair in those terms to prevent us from using the words we don’t want to but we as people feel there is bias.
“One day we will be forced to come out and talk. If their intention is to have us talk and hold fines on us, then we will do. For instance, in our game against Express, I think we were not handled fairly.”
Express will start their second-round matches with a home game against URA on April 3.
