Within a whisker

Striker Derrick Nsibambi (L) has made up with his bosses

What you need to know:

  • Soccer. KCCA are 90 minutes away from history. Should the team do what only SC Villa have once done, and that is ejecting an Egyptian club from a continental competition, they will also have helped themselves to Shs990m, prize for making the group stage.

Kampala.

KCCA will become the first Ugandan club to advance to the group stage of a continental competition if they starve off any attempted Al-Masry comeback today.
The two clubs face off in the return leg of the Total Caf Confederation Cup play-off in Ismailia tonight with the Ugandans needing to avoid a two-goal margin defeat to the Egyptians to progress to the money brackets.
KCCA manager Mike Mutebi expects Al-Masry to come at them but trusts his arsenal has enough to see them over the line.
“Being at home we expect them to attack,” said Mutebi, “But we shall not sit back. We shall play our way and ensure we achieve our target of making the group stage.
“I believe we have enough in our armour to stay in the competition. We have to continue rubbing shoulders with the best for us to grow.”
Al-Masry defender Ahmed Mansour promised the best of coach Hassan Hossam’s team will be seen in Ismailia. “They won 1-0 but we shall score many goals back home and win,” Mansour said after the first leg defeat, “The field (artificial pitch) here was not good; in Egypt, much better.”

End the usual
Should KCCA do what only SC Villa have once done, and that is ejecting an Egyptian club from a continental competition, they will also have helped themselves to Shs990m, prize for making the group stage.
The Ugandan champions will also have become the first local club to make the group stage since the phase was introduced.
When a Ugandan club last eliminated Egyptian opposition, Villa beat Ahly in the quarterfinals of the 1991 African Cup of Champions Clubs (Champions League) en route to the finals, where they lost to Tunisia’s Club Africain.
Mutebi welcomes back from injury midfield player Muzamir Mutyaba and defender Timothy Awany, who he had ruled out of the tie on Monday.

Defence reshuffle
Habib Kavuma also makes a return from suspension, meaning the manager will have to reshuffle his defence to perhaps drop Denis Rukundo to the bench to accommodate the experienced defender.
Elsewhere, Mutebi confirmed to the media on Thursday that in-form striker Derrick Nsibambi will start ahead of Geoffrey Sserunkuma.

PROBABLE LINEUP
Benjamin Ochan, Denis Okot, Isaac Muleme, Timothy Awany, Habib Kavuma, Tom Masiko, Isaac Kirabira, Allan Okello, Brian Majwega, Muzamir Mutyaba, Derrick Nsibambi
Substitutes: Charles Lukwago, Denis Rukundo, Paul Musamali, Mustafa Kizza, Noel Nasasira, Paul Mucureezi, Geoffrey Sserunkuma

Confederation CUP
TODAY IN ISMAILIA(8PM)
Al-Masry vs. KCCA (KCCA lead 1-0)