The 2025 Masaza Cup is set to take the opening stanza of the story as Buddu hosts Gomba at Kitovu Sports Arena in the 21st edition opener.
Buddu is the defending champions while Gomba is the record champions and the fixtures curing bad and worse histories making the game a clash of Titans.
Going in the game defending champions are set to assemble a totally different team having changed almost the entire squad only keeping 6 members of the winning squad.
Some of the key retained players are Mike Walaga and Joseph Kayondo both had 10 goals combined in the title winning campaign despite Kayondo being a defender but he managed for goals.
From the winning Coaching staff who left to Gomba and got replaced by a group of technicians headed by Eric Kisuze who guided Kabula to unusual heights last season by reaching quarterfinals where he was stopped by Buddu.
In the heart of regaining winning desires, Team Manager Vincent Ziwa took one of deep surgery of the squad where he captured key players like Hot Cake Nicholas Junga from Kabula
Junga is the player expected to execute Buddu playing style replacing Pius Ssebulime who has been taking the responsibility before rejoining Mawokota.
Ahead of the opening match, Buddu under new stuardship excepted to spring on the services of Goalkeeper Marvin Ssebirungo, Joseph Kayondo, Mike Waraga and Ivan Kanda another new signing.
On Gomba Side, Coach Simon Dungu Dunga and his backroom are the Masaza cup defending coaches but with a different team.
After a shocking campaign resulted to stop at the group stage, Gomba took an early preparation for the 2025 season, getting the management six months before the beginning of the campaign, Securing the coaching department over three months to the opening.
After drawing the base lines, Gomba recruited a very strong squad, regained Herbert Onen from Buddu, added on other players like Joseph Ssewaali from Ssingo, Michael Abura from Mawokota and they are starting the competition with high hope to win the trophy as they seek to end a five-year span without a trophy.
In Friendlies, all the teams have been on a good notch with just a draws as the lowest records building the momentum for both sides ahead of the opening match.
Based on significant recent meetings Gomba holds a head-to-Head advantage over Buddu having eliminated in the most recent meeting in semifinals of 2023 and defeated them 3-1 in the finals of 2021 for the fifth Masaza cup final.