Vipers SC head coach Roberto Oliveira has rallied his charges to be fully set for a high-press style of play from BUL FC as the two lock-horns in the Uganda Premier League on Saturday.

The Venoms are up against a really well-coached side, as the two actually share points (24) on the 15-team table. While the latter occupy second by virtue of a better goal difference, the Oil Manufacturers sit third.

Alex Isabirye’s side also defeated the Venoms 3-1 in the 2021/22 Uganda Cup final, and Oliveira is aware of the “once bitten, twice shy” narrative.

“About tomorrow’s game, yes, maturity, experience [is] very important, but again it’s not the only decisive thing,” said the Brazilian to the club media.

“We have to be ready to play a top, top, top, top game because they will go for us,” he added in an honest assessment of the tie.

“They will high press, they will try to play much more football than we allowed them do the last time we met in the Uganda Cup final. So, it will be really interesting, definitely. Like I said, maturity is important but not the only thing.”

Even then, the hosts have a huge dominion over this fixture, as they boast 12 league victories over BUL’s two since 2012. The other five encounters ended in draws.

In a similar meeting at Kitende last season, Simon Peter Oketch netted late to salvage a point for the guests, after Walter Ochora had scored in his own net earlier on. 

Vipers are set to make do without a number of stars including Yunus Sentamu, Abdu Lumala, Karim Watambala, Livingstone Mulondo and Paul Mucureezi through respective injury layoffs.