Africa-Press – Uganda. Nowhere To Hide. In the return leg, KCCA must score two unanswered goals to start with and then dream of killing off the contest. In on-form Brian Aheebwa and Sam Ssenyonjo they have reliable sources of goals.
The last time KCCA was boxed into a corner in the Caf Confederation Cup and needed phenomenal redemption was against AS Otoho D’Oyo on January 13 last year. The Congolese side led 3-0 from the first leg in Brazzaville and KCCA, through Allan Okello and Patrick Kaddu goals ,put up a strong-willed fight at Lugogo only to miss out by a whisker – 3-2 on aggregate.
Charles Lukwago, Peter Magambo, Hassan Musana, Hebert Achai, Julius Poloto and Gift Ali are the survivors from that determined side that showed courage in the face of adversity and temporarily flirted with progress.Timothy Awany, Allan Kyambadde, Kaddu, Muzamir Mutyaba, Mawejje Muwadda and Mike Mutyaba have since moved on to leave KCCA in its own new world.
Then as KCCA manager Mike Mutebi showed early intent to get into the lead as his ‘Kasasiro Boys’ dominated possession but only to miss a couple of gilt-edged chances. The same tactical approach must be employed by the Mayor’s Boys if they are to deflate AS Kigali, who boast of a 2-0 first leg lead, that was achieved on a silver platter. Forced bubble Call it an oversight, KCCA management will partly have themselves to blame after they left their players to freely roam about after the 2-1 league loss to URA last Friday.That action could primarily have contributed to Charles Lukwago, Denis Iguma, Kezironi Kizito, Brian Aheebwa, Stefano Mazengo, Samson Kigozi, Hassan Musana and Hassan Matovu falling victims to the Covid-19 virus.
Just like Uganda Cricket Association’s Twenty20 Elite League, the Masaza Cup and Fufa Big League playoffs have all benefited from operating in a bio-bubble-like environment that restricts player movement, KCCA have no option but to use a similar one as a security option.Tough-talking Mutebi predicted more cases to surface in the next two weeks if the ‘lousy scenario’ of players loitering around from one environment to another continues unabated especially with the festive period setting in. Goals must rain The 13-time Uganda Premier League kings have netted in each of their last five matches and if anything, the 8-0 mauling of Onduparaka asserts further how ruthless they can be on their best day in office. In the return leg, KCCA must score two unanswered goals to start with and then dream of killing off the contest. In on-form Brian Aheebwa and Sam Ssenyonjo they have reliable sources of goals but more importantly a solid team effort will be required.
The return of stylish defender John Revita at the heart of defence will help to avert any rampaging attacks that AS Kigali might be planning to launch.
Kigali will not sit back
Even before the cancelled encounter, AS Kigali Nigerian forward Aboubakar Lawal was spitting fire.“We need to play as a unit for the whole duration of the match and I am confident that I will play my part by scoring goals.
“We have a chance of winning this game but we need to fight until the last minute,” vowed, Lawal, whose goal downed Botswana side Orapa in the previous round..His skipper Eric Ndayishimiye is equally optimistic; “We are absolutely delighted to reach here but we still have a lot of work to do, we are hungry to win this game and we’ll give our best to win both games so that we get to the next round.” The two-legged affair is delicately poised but it is AS Kigali with the advantage.
CAF confederation cup
KCCA’S LAST OUTINGS
02/07/17: KCCA 3-1 FUS Rabat07/07/17: Club Africain 4-0 KCCA15/12/18: KCCA 3-0 Mtibwa Sugar22/12/18: Mtibwa Sugar 1-2 KCCA13/01/19: Otôho d’Oyo 3-0 KCCA20/01/19: KCCA 2-0 Otôho d’Oyo27/10/19: KCCA 0-0 Paradou AC03/11/19: Paradou AC 4-1 KCCA23/12/20: AS Kigali 2-0 KCCA**Denotes Caf Boardroom Decision
