Agosto-KCCA: Mutebi puts trust in forwards
What you need to know:
- The Ugandan league champions and current table leaders come into the game seeking to avoid defeat to progress following last weekend’s 1-0 home win. KCCA can also qualify with a 2-1 or 3-2 loss because of the away goals’ rule
KAMPALA.
KCCA coach Mike Mutebi’s gesticulations on the team’s technical bench at times leave him failing to acknowledge any good deeds by his players.
On Tuesday, during his side’s Uganda Cup round-of-32 game against Lungujja Galaxy, he was up applauding Geoffrey Sserunkuma’s second goal on the day, an overhead kick as the league champions run out 6-0 winners. His partner Derrick Nsibambi bagged a hattrick then.
Sserunkuma was also the lone scorer in the 1-0 Caf Champions’ League first leg victory over Angola’s Primeiro de Agosto and has been in fine form this season also notching joint league high 10 goals thus far.
“Our leading two front men are scoring and that is quite important in terms of reliability for goals. This gives us confidence ahead of the return leg in the CAF Champions League,” stated Mutebi after the game in which the latter also scored a hattrick.
While Mutebi is unlikely to start with both forwards, he is expected to employ a similar approach for the return leg against the Angolans in the hope of skipping the preliminary round hurdle today in Luanda.
The Ugandan league champions come into the game seeking to avoid defeat to progress. They possess a decent record away from home in recent times having won once, drawn thrice and lost two of their last six continental away fixtures.
“Agosto will come all out to attack and leave spaces. If we play defensive we’ll not get those chances. So it is going to be an open game and maybe it may end up 5-3, something like that,” he explained.
The return of Tom Masiko should offer more central midfield options alongside Isaac Kirabira and Ivan Ntege while Joseph Ochaya is likely to keep his slot on the left side of defense. This is in spite of missing training this week having reportedly traveled to seal a move to Zambia.
The Angolans will on the other hand not be short of confidence having shown enough ability on the ball when going forward despite opting for a largely defensive approach.
“They had all the advantage to win more than 1-0 but we did our best. They also have to work harder at our ground,” their Nigerian midfielder Ibukun Akinfewno said , stated.
Second leg
Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda
KCCA FC vs Agosto
(KCCA lead 1-0 from first leg) 7.00pm kick-off time