Vipers eye early advantage over Tunisia’s Sfaxien
Vipers striker Dan Sserunkuma has the penalty box movement that will be needed by coaches Edward Golola and Michael Ouma against Tunisia’s Sfaxien. PHOTO BY John Batanudde
KAMPALA. There is an air of promise at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende as hosts Vipers SC welcome Tunisian giants Sfaxien in the first leg of the Caf Confederation Cup play-off match this afternoon.
Not even the prospect of facing four-time Caf Confederation Cup winners seems dampen the mood lifted again by the appointment of coaches Michael Ouma and Edward Golola that subsequently yielded a 3-0 Premier League thrashing of Onduparaka on Tuesday.
Vipers have their work cut out, however, as they try to bury the ghosts of a home and away defeat to another North African side, Constantine of Algeria, who ejected them from the Caf Champions League.
“We respect them (Sfaxien) for what they have done at the continent but should know we are also champions here,” Vipers skipper Tadeo Lwanga, back after missing the Constantine double header through injury, told SCORE.
Ouma is desperate for victory at home and will mostly likely retain a bigger percentage of the team that beat Onduparaka.
“Our job is to win the first match,” said Is, “We have to take away the pressure because we are not intimated by the Arabs.
“We have new style of play and we are ready for their time wasting tactics,” he stressed.
To combat the Tunisians’ free flowing and attacking football, Vipers will most likely maintain the defensive midfield of Lwanga and the versatile Geoffrey Wasswa whilst Moses Waiswa, Dan Sserunkuma and Tito Okello will lead the hunt for goals. Experienced Dutch coach Rudolf Jozef Krol, the man responsible take care of Vipers, admitted little knowledge about Vipers, but expects a tough match against them.
“It is the first time I have been in Uganda but the weather is nice; it is the starting point,” said the 69-year-old.
About sfaxien
8 TUNISIA LEAGUE TITLES
1969, 1971, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1995, 2005, 2013
4 TUNISIA CUPS
1971, 1995, 2004, 2009
1 TUNISIA LEAGUE CUP
2003
CAF Champions League runners up
2014
4 CAF Confed Cup TITLES
1998, 2007, 2008, 2013
Confederations Cup
Winners:
$1.25m (Shs4.6b)
Runners-up:
$0.625m (Shs2.4b)
Semifinalists:
$0.45m l (Shs167m)
Quarterfinalist:
$0.35m (Shs95m)
Group third place:
$0.275m (Shs93m)
Group fourth place:
$0.275m (Shs93m)
Today at St Mary’s Stadium
Vipers vs Sfaxien, 4pm
Shs10000 (Ordinary) Shs30000 (VIP)
