SC Villa Return to Action Following Tragic Death of Captain David Owori

SC Villa will return to the pitch for the first time since the tragic death of their captain, David Owori, as they face Maroons at Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo, on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

The match is the second leg of the FUFA Super 8 quarter-final. The fixture was originally scheduled for last Friday but was postponed following the shocking news.

Owori, who played in the 1-1 first-leg draw, was killed by assailants near his home on Wednesday. The entire SC Villa squad and coach Zeljko Kovacevic attended his burial in Tororo on Saturday.

The defending champions of the pre-season tournament only resumed training on Monday, still reeling from the loss.

"It has been a tough last few days for us, and we only trained on Monday since the passing of our captain," said Kovacevic.

"These are difficult times, but we have no choice but to play. We will try to win and advance to the next stage."

Left-back Simon Kato Ssemayange acknowledged that a late slip in the first leg gave Maroons an advantage but stated the team is determined to secure a victory in honour of their fallen leader.

"We learned from the mistakes in the first game, and we are going all out to win it, especially for our captain," Ssemayange told the club's media.

In terms of team selection, Andrew Okumu, who replaced Owori late in the first match, is a likely candidate for the right-back position.

Alternatively, the Serbian coach might deploy centre-back Raymond Barasa Mangoli on the right, with Arnold Odong partnering Geoffrey Lubangakene in central defense.

To advance to the semi-finals, where NEC awaits after eliminating Entebbe UPPC, Villa must either win the match or secure a draw with a scoreline higher than 1-1. Meanwhile, KCCA has already booked their place in the final after a 1-0 victory over Kitara on Monday.