The 2016/2017 Uganda Premier League season comes to an end this weekend with a crowning ceremony for the league champions KCCA FC, although there is still a sticking issue of deciding the third and final relegation slot.
The Azam TV cameras will for the last time this season be staged at the Phillip Omondi stadium in Lugogo, where KCCA FC face already-relegated Sadolin Paints FC in the Uganda Premier League.
Crowning Moment
This will be the moment KCCA receives its twelfth UPL title, after a season in which they have been quite consistent. They have won 13 of their 14 league games at home, and have outscored everyone else with 57 goals against second-placed SC Villa with 45 goals.
Striker Geoffrey Sserunkuma, who leads the topscorers’ chart with 20 goals, is without question player of the season.
Relegation survival
However, Kirinya, Bul FC, Bright Stars, Lweza and Police must endeavour to keep their top-flight status. Sadolin were the second team to get relegated, when they lost 0-1 to Express FC at Namboole on Tuesday.
Lweza, who drew goalless with Kirinya then, remained third from bottom. Although they are favourites to go down, they can still stay up if they beat Police tomorrow and clock 32 points.
That, however, is dependent on how Bright Stars, who are on 31 points, do when they host JMC in Mwererwe. If Bright Stars lose, they will go down. But a draw would momentarily suffice for Bright Stars, provided Lweza doesn’t register a cricket score against Police, that improves their goal-difference from the negative six. Bright Stars is on negative five.
Boardroom points
Although Police are on 30 points, their aborted game with JMC on Tuesday is likely to earn them three points by forfeiture. That would put Police on 33 points and out of reach.
So, Bright Stars must fight to save themselves of any eventualities. On the other hand, Kirinya and Bul’s goal-difference is negative two and five respectively.
So, if Lweza better their goal-difference from negative six, and Bright Stars also win their game, either of Bul and Kirinya can still be the third team relegated.
The final day of the season cannot get more intriguing surely.
Credit: John Nsimbe / The Observer (Kampala)
