Tooro United coach Muhammed Kisekka suspects his side’s string of poor results in the Uganda Premier League (UPL) could be due to match-fixing by some of his players.
With five matches left to the end of the season, Tooro are languishing at the bottom of the 16-team league table with 22 points from 25 matches having managed to win only two games in the second round.
Kisekka has openly stated some of his own players may be allegedly involved in match-fixing after his side lost by a solitary goal to SC Villa on Saturday.
“We have a number of challenges we are facing. You saw me made the first line-up and eventually making changes,” Kisekka is quoted by New Vision. “For any professional coach you can’t do that but because of rumours of betting, we have ended up making changes. This is a fact.
"You saw how we conceded a goal - it was uncalled for. I can give references to very many games in which we almost scored own goals.
"As a coach, I have no control over that. I don’t have evidence but it [match-fixing] is happening. Every time I receive communication that your team has been manipulated, we concede uncalled for goals.
“We have good players but their mental toughness is very poor. This is the third game that I am getting information about my team being manipulated and in the first minutes of the game we concede."
Kisekka feels the players need to change their attitude if they are to remain in the league.
"I was disappointed with the way we played," Kisekka continued.
"We are not losing games because we are poor, but there is an internal feeling you can’t lift from the player."
Faisal Muwawu's first-half strike saw Villa consolidate their third place on 46 points, four behind second-placed KCCA. Title chasers Vipers SC are leading on 54 points.
The league is taking a break to allow Uganda to prepare and also take part in the Africa Nations Championship (Chan) that gets underway in April in Cameroon.
