Saddam cleared for CAF
What you need to know:
- KCCA lie bottom at the bottom of Group A on goal difference although all teams have six points.
KAMPALA.
A sigh of relief swept through Lugogo as their marquee signing Saddam Juma was finally granted the liberty to play for KCCA in the upcoming continental engagement by Caf yesterday.
The dazzling midfielder alongside youthful defender Peter Magumba are now in line to play against Moroccan outfit Fus Rabat on Sunday at Lugogo. Manager Mike Mutebi had hinted about the former Express creative midfielder’s role in the determinant group game this weekend.
“He will give us the push going forward because he knows how we play having trained with the team for a month now,” Mutebi
said.
On-song Nsibambi makes goal pledge
Scoring goals in the continental engagements is not part of KCCA’s 99 problems - thanks largely to the predatory instincts of strikers Geoffrey Sserunkuma and Derrick Nsibambi.
Apart from Tom Masiko’s strike against Club Africain at Lugogo, the made-in-heaven attacking duo, a classic blend of youth and experience, has netted all the goals the club boasts of in Caf engagements (Caf Confederation Cup and Caf Champions league).
Ahead of the Fus Rabat encounter at Lugogo on Sunday, Nsibambi who was kept silent in the 3-0 humbling in the first leg in Morocco thinks it is time to exert their vengeance at home.
“We made a few errors and we were quickly punished. We are now in proper shape and I think we can go through their defence and score,” the fast improving striker, who has netted combined 18 goals (league, Uganda Cup and Caf) so far this season told Daily Monitor after yesterday’s training.
Rabat defence, commanded by Mandaw Sy, Brahim El-Bahri and Naif Aguerd kept Nsibambi and Sserunkuma at bay as El Bahri,Yusupha Njie and Karim Benarif riddled stand-in goalkeeper Douglas Kisembo with goals.
“In Morocco we didn’t get supply to score goals which I think is going to change this weekend. We have the capability of winning the game at home like we have done against other group teams,” Nsibambi added.
He credits Sserunkuma for his gradual improvement infront of the goal and says playing alongside him brings confidence and belief.
Lest I forget, the Nsibambi-Sserunkumba combo has posted over 46 goals this concluding season and remains KCCA’s only pillar of hope if there are to progress to the lucrative quarterfinal.
KCCA, still to play Rabat and Africain (away) sits at the foot of Group ‘A’ due to a lesser goal difference. Although manager Mike Mutebi will miss suspended defender Habib Kavuma, the return to full fitness of first choice custodian Benjamin Ochan will add a degree of stability in defence.
Caf Confederation Cup, playing on Sunday
KCCA vs Fus Rabat,
Phillip Omondi Stadium, Lugogo (4pm)
Rivers vs Club Africain,
Port Harcourt - Nigeria
