KCCA bid to end home assignment on a high

Striker Kaddu (L) will hope to carry on from his midweek brace against Nyamityobora at Namboole today. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO

What you need to know:

  • Soccer. Today’s match sees the return to fitness of unpredictable forward Nunda, who missed the 1-0 defeat to Esperance a fortnight ago.

KAMPALA.

Uganda’s KCCA and Township Rollers of Botswana could be playing their own league at Namboole this afternoon – a league of ‘just play it and finish just decent enough’.
Their predicament before Esperance hosted Al Ahly of Egypt last night was that the latter’s victory in Tunisia would have ended any chances of Namboole opponents today stretching their hopes into the final day of the 2018 Caf Champions League.

Yet, both KCCA and Rollers are determined to enjoy the two remaining group matches as much as possible and then see what happens.
“Of course now chances are slim but the belief is still there,” KCCA manager Mike Mutebi told SCORE. “We shall continue competing with the best and will try to win the remaining two games.” KCCA’s final group match is in Egypt against Al Ahly.

No pressure for Ntege
But first the business at Namboole; and it sees the return home of former KCCA midfielder Ivan Ntege, who says he will go about it just like any other game. “Like I said before the first leg,” the midfield workhorse told this newspaper, “I’m not under pressure to prove to anyone at KCCA.”
Like Mutebi, Ntege knows the realities of this Group A, which has Esperance and Al Ahly on 10 and seven points respectively and KCCA and Township on three apiece. “Although our chances to progress are minimal, we shall try to play and win.” KCCA played their previous two matches at Namboole, with the last a 1-0 defeat to Esperance at the end of July. That was also their only defeat at home since Mutebi took over as coach three years ago.
KCCA will get encouragement from the 1-0 victory over Al Ahly at the same venue to down Township Rollers. There truly would not be a better way to wrap their home games on the continent this year.
Firing Patrick Kaddu, fresh from a brace against Nyamityobora in the week, will hope to carry on here while the return to fitness of Jackson Nunda – who missed the defeat to Esperance – and Sadam Juma will give them quality options through the middle.
Goalkeeper Tom Ikara will take over THE gloves from suspended Charles Lukwago. The promising talent will do with solidity from skipper Timothy Awany and company in Mutebi’s preferred back three. On their part, Township Rollers will look back at their first leg’s 1-0 victory and get encouragement from that.