Beaten Caf representatives KCCA, Vipers now have to pick themselves up

Bullish. Mutebi believes KCCA have better quality players compared to Police

KAMPALA- Uganda will for the first time in three years have no representatives in the group stages of continental club championship after KCCA and Vipers fell with the weekend storm.

KCCA have represented Uganda in the Champions League and Confederation Cup group stages for the last two years, while Vipers are still trying to figure how to live with the continental big boys after landing some of the toughest draws in Algeria’s Constantine and Tunisia’s Sfaxien.

Both will have to take a long look at their overall performance and reflect going forward after KCCA, despite beating Congo Brazzaville’s AS Otoho 2-0 at Lugogo, and Vipers, who got a rude welcome at Sfaxien in Tunisia, were all bundled out 3-2 and 3-0 on aggregate respectively on Sunday.

KCCA manager Mike Mutebi and his men failed their season target of making the group stage, which gave the likes of TP Mazembe’s Joseph Ochaya and Smouha’s Derrick Nsibambi platform to attract interest and improved money moves to DRC and Egypt.

But KCCA’s performance at Lugogo, which was made even more difficult by a first half downpour, reminded everyone that this team can still play football; and this drive was showed after recess as Patrick Kaddu’s goal and Allan Okello’s penalty brought them close to spot kicks.

“I saw that side of the boys that believes that they can play,” said Mutebi (pic right), “Look at the way the players reacted, showing that they had work to do and did it with character and belief. And for me this is a positive.

“Yes, we fell short because we did not achieve what we had set out to achieve but the performance and display is a positive. We fell short and it happens.

We have to look at the positives and move on.” KCCA will look back at the Congo result and agree they should never have allowed to leak three times without reply if they were to edge this against a very experienced and physically endowed side. For Vipers, you would argue that a goalless draw in the first leg against Sfaxien was a good result, but in the end it was a tale of inexperience and firsts which were fully exposed by the ruthless hosts in brutal wintry conditions.

Picking positives
This has happened and like Mutebi has argued, they can only pick positives and move on. No time to dwell on what could have been because KCCA and Vipers have pending business to sort at home with Uganda Cup duty and a hot league battle proceeding. KCCA return to action away to Mbarara next Friday looking to keep the lead, where they have 36 points after 15 matches.

Pressure will, however, be on the shoulders of coaches Michael Ouma and Edward Golola, whose Vipers team have a burden of two games in hand against URA this Friday and Mbarara two days later.

Should they win both, Vipers will go to within a point of KCCA before both go into action next Friday away to Mbarara and at home to Kirinya-Jinja respectively.

Caf Confederation Cup
SUNDAY RESULTS
KCCA 2-0 Otoho D’Oyo
(Otoho progress 3-2 on aggregate)
Sfaxien 3-0 Vipers SC
(Sfaxien progress 3-0 on aggregate)

KCCA’S FIVE KEY GAMES

Feb 26:
KCCA vs URA, Lugogo
Mar 2:
KCCA vs SC Villa, Lugogo
April 5:
KCCA vs Vipers, Lugogo
April 20:
KCCA vs Express, Lugogo
May 4:
KCCA vs Maroons, Lugogo

VIPERS’ FIVE KEY GAMES

Feb 9:
Vipers vs Villa, St Mary’s
March 1:
Vipers vs Express, St Mary’s
April 5:
KCCA vs Vipers, Lugogo
April 19:
Vipers vs URA, St Mary’s
April 23:
Police vs Vipers, Lugogo

FOR VIPERS AND KCCA

UPCOMING GAMES
Friday, Jan 25:
URA vs Vipers, Namboole
(Vipers game in hand)
Sunday, Jan 27:
Vipers vs Mbarara City, St Mary’s Stadium
(Vipers game in hand)
Friday, Jan 30:
Mbarara City vs KCCA, Kakyeka
Friday, Jan 30:
Vipers vs Kirinya-Jinja, St Mary’s Kitende
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