Byaruhanga propelled by Vipers' uphill midfield slots battle
KCCA's Sadat Anaku(C) falls away while challenging Vipers Bobosi Byaruhanga. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
The Venoms face Olympic Real de Bangui of Central African Republic early next month with the aggregate winner over two legs booking a date with former Champions League winners TP Mazembe of DR Congo.
No Vipers player seems to be in the comfort zone after the latest headlining player recruitment by the club ahead of the Caf Champions League campaign.
Not even the club and Uganda Cranes poster-boy Bobosi Byaruhanga is safe. Coach Roberto Oliveira's new dictum at the club is 'perform or be booted'.
"The spirited show you have seen the club exhibit in the 2-0 international friendly win over Yanga and Monday's 1-0 triumph over Rayon Sport in Kigali is due to the pressure to hold down our starting slots," Byaruhanga told Daily Monitor.
He scored a fourth minute 40-yard screamer at the Nyamirambo Stadium that left Rayon Sport custodian Olivier Kwizera bewildered - and the fans commemorating the Kigali Genocide Memorial day in a pandemonium.
"I admire Kevin De Bryune (Manchester City Belgian midfielder)'s style of play and I tried my luck to shoot at goal from a distance when I saw the goalkeeper off the line. It was a nice gooal and I'm so happy we won the match," Byaruhanga added.
He started with Siraje Ssentamu and Bright Anukani in the original midfield triumvirate with new signings Oliver Osomba and Marvin Youngman waiting in the wings.
"At the moment, when you're given a chance to start you must make it count. I want to increase my goal tally this season to help my club progress to the Champions League group stages for the first time," he pledged.
The Venoms face Olympic Real de Bangui of Central African Republic early next month with the aggregate winner over two legs booking a date with former Champions League winners TP Mazembe of DR Congo.
“Our opponents don’t have a lot of history in this competition. They also don’t have a lot of information so all we have to do is continue getting ready for any challenge.
“We trust our team and our way of playing so we are ready for these matches,” Oliveira, with vast experience having coached in Brazil, Tunisia, Kenya and Rwanda, revealed to the club website.
International friendly match
Rayon Sport 0-1 Vipers
Caf Champions League
Olympic Real de Bangui (CAR) vs Vipers
September 9-11, Bangui
Return leg
Vipers vs Olympic Real de Bangui (CAR)
September 16-18
St Mary's Stadium Kitende
