Soltilo Bright Stars will be looking to start afresh under newly-appointed interim coach Ian Mutenda, when they host Kitara today at Kavumba Recreation Grounds at 4 pm.
Both teams enter the fixture in dire need of points after a difficult start to the Uganda Premier League season.
Bright Stars currently sit at the bottom of the standings with just three points from seven matches, and Kitara, with only a single point more, hover with them in the relegation zone.
Mutenda, who took over as interim head coach after the club dismissed Joseph Mutyaba last week, is determined to secure his, and the club’s first win.
Having served as Bright Stars’ sporting director, Mutenda now steps into the dugout with the challenge of lifting a struggling side with four losses and three draws in their first seven games.
“This week has been good,” Mutenda shared ahead of the game, adding that training sessions since Sunday have been productive and the team has responded well under his guidance.
Mutenda’s confidence is further bolstered by Bright Stars’ positive track record against Kitara, as they have won three of their last four meetings.
Notably, their last home encounter saw Bright Stars edge Kitara 1-0, a result that ended Kitara’s title hopes last season.
However, with both sides embroiled in a relegation battle this time, the stakes are even higher, and Bright Stars are wary of Kitara’s desire for revenge.
Kitara will be motivated, especially under their new head coach, Wasswa Bbosa.
Bbosa replaced Brian Ssenyondo but suffered a setback in his first match, a 2-0 loss to URA, despite his team’s dominance in that fixture.
Like Mutenda, Bbosa is also searching for his first victory, and today’s game represents a golden opportunity to lift his team out of the relegation zone and kickstart their campaign.
The stakes are high, as a win for Bright Stars would see them rise to six points and climb out of the bottom three, as they await tomorrow’s result between Maroons and URA.
Kitara, on the other hand, are keen to avoid another disappointment and could also leap to a safer 13th position with a win.
Both teams face intense pressure, having managed just one win in their last ten outings.
The match promises an intense showdown as both sides look to pull themselves out of a tough start to the season.
