Vipers calm, head to Sudan

KAMPALA. There is a general feeling in the Vipers camp that Sudanese ginats Al Merriekh’s is on gradual decline on the continent.
As the Caf Champions League representatives board Ethiopian Airways to Sudan this afternoon, they will be armed with confidence of securing positive results from Khartoum on Wednesday when they clash with 15-time Sudan league champions, Al Merriekh.
“We are going out foe a decent result and the final will be the return leg in Kampala on December 5,” Vipers coach Javier Martinez revealed.
Skipper Tadeo Lwanga admits lack experience when juxtaposed to the KCCA all-conquering side that stormed the lucrative group stages last season but he is aware that Al Merriekh is no longer the dreaded side it was in yester years.
“Most of the boys will be playing for the first time on the continent but we are ready to play as a unit and eliminate Al Merriekh,” he told Daily Monitor yesterday.
Lwanga, Moses Waiswa and Dan Sserunkuma sum up Vipers’ modicum experience. First choice goal keeper Fabien Mutombora is likely to miss and will be replaced with Bashir Sekagya.
Lwanga, an electrical engineer, added; “The exposure I and Waiswa have garnered while on the Uganda Cranes duty will also count a lot as we seek to go through to the next round.”
Vipers will host the Sudanese outfit on December 5 and the overall winner will take on either Gamtel of Gambia or Algerian giants Club Sportif Constantinois on December 14. Algerian referees; Aderazzek Arab, Abbes Akram Zerhouni and Brahim El Hamiaoui have been assigned to handle the Wednesday tie in Khartoum.