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VIPERS SC HIT CRISIS POINT: TWO DRAWS STOKE MINNAERT PRESSURE AHEAD OF BUL TEST

Vipers' poor run—including a shock 0-0 draw with Calvary—has put Minnaert in the hot seat. Can they recover against Bul on Saturday?

Vipers SC Hit Crisis Point: Two Draws Stoke Minnaert Pressure Ahead of Bul Test
Can Minnaert Survive Bul Clash

Vipers' Startimes Uganda Premier League campaign has hit a snag after a disappointing 1-1 draw with NEC and a surprising 0-0 draw with Calvary.

At Vipers, bad performances aren't tolerated. Coach Minnaert needs to act fast to fix their tactics and get the team back on track before Saturday's game against Bul at St. Mary's Stadium, Kitende.

The game against Calvary should have been an easy win, but instead, it showed the Vipers' weaknesses.

Even though Allan Okello, Rogers Torach, and Hillary Mukundane were away with the Uganda Cranes, Vipers were still expected to beat Calvary, who only had one point before the match. But the Vipers looked uninspired, were outplayed physically, and seemed mentally weak. Their defense was exposed, just like in the NEC game.

The recent setback leaves Vipers with 18 points from eight matches, behind KCCA. Minnaert now has to work hard to turn things around early in the season.

The team will be relying on key players like captain Milton Karisa, Yunus Sentamu, Usama Arafat, and Isaac Ogwang to lead them while their teammates are away.

To make things worse, assistant coach Fred Muhumuza has left to join the Uganda Cranes, leaving Minnaert without a key assistant.

John 'Ayala' Luyinda is still there, but there are reports that Simon Peter Mugerwa may join the coaching staff. Changing coaches mid-season is never ideal, but Vipers is known for making quick changes when performances drop.

Whatever changes Minnaert makes, they need to work quickly because Bul will be fighting hard.

Abbey Kikomeko’s team hasn't won in its last five matches, with losses against Express, NEC, Kitara, Entebbe UPPC, and KCCA.

They're currently 11th with 10 points from nine games, close to the bottom of the table.

But games between Vipers and Bul are often unpredictable. In their last five meetings, there have been two draws, two Bulls wins, and one Vipers win. Usually, the current form doesn't matter.

The stakes are high. If Vipers slip up, KCCA and SC Villa could increase their lead. That would put Minnaert in a difficult position, especially after a disappointing CAF Champions League performance.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the table, Calvary (two points) will face Mbarara City (six points) in a game that could determine who gets relegated.

HISTORY MADE: WHY UGANDA CRANES USED THREE GOALKEEPERS IN A SINGLE AFCON NIGHTMARE

Uganda’s AFCON run ends in a 3-1 defeat to Nigeria. The Cranes used three goalkeepers in a match that saw Salim Magoola sent off.

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Uganda finished bottom of Group C

Uganda's run at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is over after a tough 3-1 loss to Nigeria. They didn't win a single game and are out after the group stage. Nigeria finished top of Group C with 9 points, while Uganda ended up last with only 1 point. Uganda had trouble scoring and let in the most goals, showing they still have a ways to go.

Nigeria came out strong, keeping Uganda pinned back. Their pressure paid off when Paul Onuachu scored in the 28th minute after a great pass from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, putting Nigeria ahead.

Uganda couldn't get into the game and barely created any chances. Karl Uche Ikpeazu was isolated up front. They wasted several set-piece opportunities, and captain Denis Onyango had to make a bunch of saves. He even needed treatment a few times before being subbed out at halftime.

Things got worse in the 57th minute when Onyango's replacement, Salim Jamal Magoola, got a red card for handling the ball outside the box while trying to stop Victor Osimhen. Uganda was down to ten men.

Nafian Alionzi came in, making Uganda the first team in the tournament to use three goalkeepers in one game.

Nigeria took advantage of the situation, and Raphael Onyedika scored twice in the 62nd and 66th minutes, making it 3-0. Game over for Uganda.

Uganda managed to pull one back in the 75th minute when Rogers Kassim Mato scored after a nice play with Allan Okello. It got the 11,545 fans excited, but Nigeria just slowed the game down and won easily.

With this win, Nigeria finished Group C undefeated. Uganda finished last, having let in the most goals in the group.

In the other game, Tanzania drew 1-1 with Tunisia. This meant that both teams, along with Nigeria, moved on. Tanzania made it to the Round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams.

Uganda lost 3-1 to Tunisia, drew 1-1 with Tanzania, and lost 3-1 to Nigeria. They're still waiting for their first-ever win in the AFCON finals.

For head coach Joseph Paul Put, the tournament had some good moments, but it also showed that Uganda needs to be more consistent, disciplined, and clinical to compete at the highest level.

TUESDAY PREVIEW: PAUL PUT PREPARES UGANDA FOR DECISIVE FINAL AFCON GROUP CLASH

Uganda must beat Nigeria to reach the AFCON 2025 knockouts. Discover Paul Put’s strategy and Jordan Obita’s call for belief in Fes.

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Uganda vs Nigeria determines Group C fate

Paul Put's team is heading to Stade de Fes, aiming for a win. This victory could get them into the round of 16 either as Group C's second-place team or as one of the top four third-place teams in the 24-team contest.

"We're up against a really good team," Put said. They were in the final at the last Cup of Nations, and they've won both matches here in Morocco.

We know how good the Nigerian players are. A lot of them play in big leagues in Europe, so we need to be super focused.

But we know what's at stake. It won't be easy; it will be tough. But if we put in the effort, anything's possible.

Tunisia is playing Tanzania in Rabat on Tuesday night. They beat Uganda 3-1 in their first game on December 23.

In their second game, Uganda drew 1-1 with Tanzania after Allan Okello missed a late penalty.

"We had a great chance to win," said Uganda defender Jordan Obita. But it didn't happen.

We can't be scared of going into the Nigeria game. We have to believe we can do something, and that's what we're going to do.

Uganda reached the last 16 in 2019 in Egypt—the first time the Africa Cup of Nations had 24 teams.

But the country's teams didn't make it into the competitions in Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire after that.

In 2027, Uganda will host the event with Kenya and Uganda. Obita mentioned that the players in the Uganda team want to show what they're made of at the 2025 contest.

"Everyone back home in Uganda needs to see that we can compete with the best countries in the world," said the 32-year-old, who plays for Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership.

When we played Algeria in the World Cup qualifiers, it showed we can go head-to-head with top-tier countries and players.

Nigeria's coach, Eric Chelle, was secretive on Monday about who would be on his team Tuesday night.

"I'm keeping my plans to myself," said the 48-year-old former Mali player. A lot of players deserve a chance on this team.

I make hard choices for every match. I've got two or three teams in mind.

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