KCCA knocked out

KCCA fans left StarTimes Stadium on Friday evening wondering what could have been had Mauritian referee Ahmad Imtehaz pointed to the spot on two occasions.

Of course Imtehaz did point to the spot on 34 minutes, albeit not for the hosts in this crucial Caf Champions League encounter.

Angolan side Petro de Luanda caught KCCA on the counter, drawing out goalkeeper Charles Lukwago, whose desperate attempt to legally thwart the visitors attacker ended in a penalty.

Skipper Ricardo Job Estevao stepped up to beat Lukwago to his right and, having ended goalless goalless in Luanda a fortnight ago, the mountain for KCCA was visibly clear now.

KCCA did mount an onslaught after the break and got the leveller when Mustafa Kizza stuffed home substitute Sadat Anaku’s good ball on 57 minutes.

One-all it frustratingly ended for the hosts as the Angolans progressed to the Champions League group stage and KCCA dropped to the Confederation Cup.

Contented coach
“My players played well,” said KCCA manager Mike Mutebi, “We had more chances to win the game.

“So, I’m at peace. We will have another chance on the continent.

“All I can say is that am happy with my players, only that the efficient team on the day won.”

Indeed, while it’s a step back from last season when KCCA made the Champions League group stage, they can now focus on beating the next stage of the Confederation Cup and make the group stages that end.

All losers at this stage of the bigger club competition drop to the lower Confederation Cup, where they will play a two-legged playoff before advancing to the group stage in that competition.

Yet the home side at Lugogo felt the referee should have rewarded their attack when Petro defender Wilson Pinto twice handled in the box, Imtehaz waving play on both.

With Mutebi having already replaced Jackson Nunda with Simon Sserunkuma and Herbert Achai with Anaku, they continued probing through the middle and channels.

Missed chances
Muzamiru Mutyaba and Allan Okello dropped deep and started attacks, troubling the Angolans; with Mike Mutyaba becoming a real nuisance for the visitors down the left.

In one of the attacks, Mutyaba beat three Angolan defenders but Anaku missed a seater with the home side pushing for the winner.

Coach Tony Cosano’s physically endowed men, who had Alberto Campos Miguel test an otherwise impressive Filbert Obenchan on the evening, used their experience to hold on and progress.

“It was a tough match against a very tough and good team,” said the Portuguese coach, “We knew if we scored it would be possible and when we got that penalty, it did the job for us.”