KCCA eager to exorcise Petro de Luanda
KCCA deadball specialists Mustafa Kizza (L), Muzamir Mutyaba (C) and Mike Mutyaba must plot the downfall of Paradou at Lugogo this evening. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
The last Caf engagement at StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo, hardly evokes comfortable memories for the KCCA faithful.
Then, on September 27, KCCA players’ shoulders dropped, Angola’s Petro de Luanda celebrated, and hosts manager Mike Mutebi retreated to the press room to express disappointment at the turn of events and encourage his boys that they still had another shot.
“I’m at peace,” he said, then. “We will have another chance on the continent.” He was referring to the next stage of continental competition the Caf Confederation Cup - after being eliminated from the Champions League.
The time to correct that and advance to the group stage of the Confederation Cup is this evening at Lugogo, where they welcome Algeria’s Paradou for the first leg of the play-off tie.
“We know clubs from the Maghreb use the ball,” Mutebi told pre-match media conference on Friday,
“Now, the difference is, how do they use it?
“They play very well on the counter when they are away, so we have to deal with that challenge.
“That means we must use the ball well in the final third. And if they are playing on the counter attack, we shall have more bodies in their half.
Elusive first half goal
“We shall do all we can to negotiate this tie and qualify for the group stage. We have the capacity to do that.”
But to increase their chances, and for better game management, Mutebi and his team will have to improve their goal return in the first 45 minutes.
The last time they scored in the first half was in July 2017, then a 3-1 victory over Fus Rabat. Geoffrey Sserunkuma opened the scoring from a penalty spot before Sadam Juma and Isaac Muleme added the others.
They have since gone nine home continental matches without scoring a first half goal, and had to equalise against Petro on 57 minutes after going behind in the opening half last month.
Apart from long term absences and three senior players not registered on the continent yet, KCCA have no fresh injury worries.
Actually, they have been boosted by the return of midfield star-man Muzamir Mutyaba, who missed the last five games through injury.
Although Paradou do not command the power of other famous Algerian clubs, they eliminated Tunisian giants Sfaxien en route to this stage and KCCA will have taken note of that.
