Vipers SC return to Uganda Premier League action on Wednesday with a clear mission: keep the winning streak alive and tighten their grip on the title race. The champions make the short trip to a charged Nakivubo Stadium, where an unpredictable Express FC outfit awaits, with questions swirling around their form and ambition.
The Venoms have been relentless so far, marching through the opening three fixtures with clinical precision. Entebbe UPPC, KCCA and Maroons have all fallen to Ivan Minnaertโs side, whose perfect start has highlighted their ability to win even when the performance level dips. Their latest outing, a nervy 2โ1 victory over Maroons, showcased timely strikes from Yunus Sentamu and Arafat Usama, two players increasingly central to Minnaertโs evolving blueprint.
Last time we played Express FC…
Gusto Mulongo to the rescue ๐ฒ#EXPVIP || #VenomsUpdates || #OneTeamOneDream || pic.twitter.com/lCUSur4L7t
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It hasnโt all been free-flowing football. Narrow escapes against KCCA and UPPC underscored lingering concerns about creativity and tempo, but Vipers have shown the ruthless edge that often separates contenders from pretenders. For Minnaert, the equation remains simple: accumulate points, build rhythm and let the performances bloom later. Three more points on Wednesday would lift them to 12 and keep SC Villa within reach, regardless of the Bluesโ game-count advantage.
But the bigger storyline sits just beyond this fixture: Saturdayโs rescheduled Matchday One showdown between Villa and Vipers looms large, a potential early-season tone-setter with implications far beyond the table.
Express, meanwhile, are navigating a different kind of journey. Their campaign has lurched from promise to frustration, producing two wins, three draws and two defeats across seven outings. That inconsistency has left their supporters conflicted, hopeful one moment, wary the next. The goalless draw with Lugazi last week marked Jimmy Kintuโs baptism as head coach, bringing a dose of stability after Badru Kadduโs departure to NEC.
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A short trip to Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo awaits this evening ๐๏ธ#EXPVIP || #VenomsUpdates || #OneTeamOneDream || pic.twitter.com/v32PWYS2UH
โ ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ (@VipersSC) November 26, 2025
For Kintu, Wednesday is something of an early diagnostic exam. Express havenโt rediscovered the bite that powered their memorable COVID-era title triumph, and theyโve already suffered a Nakivubo defeat this season at the hands of KCCA. With Vipers visiting, avoiding another home setback is the bare minimum; snatching victory, however, could spark belief and infuse real momentum into a squad searching for its identity.
History suggests drama is never far away when these two meet. Last seasonโs Nakivubo chapter saw Express surge into a 2-0 half-time lead through then-captain Emmanuel Alex Wasswa, only for Vipers to roar back, Allan Okello halving the deficit before Gusto Mulongoโs stoppage-time leveller snatched a breathless 2-2 draw.
With Vipers chasing perfection and Express chasing stability, the stage is set for another high-stakes confrontation. Under the Nakivubo floodlights, expect tension, urgency and the possibility of a fresh chapter in a fixture that rarely disappoints.
