Optimistic Vipers depart early for Al-Hilal mission

Down But Not Out. Industrious Ibrahim Orit and Dan Sserunkuma will travel to Sudan. PHOTO/J. BATANUDDE

Uganda Premier League reigning champions Vipers are set to depart this afternoon for Khartoum in time to mount a well-intentioned comeback mission against Al Hilal in Sunday’s Caf Champions League preliminary round.
According to Vipers CEO Peter Njuba, an advance team of five touched base in Sudan yesterday to prepare for the team’s arrival and challenge-free preparations.

“We are not taking any risk in our mission to change the 1-0 home defeat. Management strongly with the technical team in their belief that we can win away,” Njuba told Daily Monitor yesterday. Fufa have lately made it their task to finance travel details of Caf participating clubs and Vipers benefitted from the same arrangement.

“We are going to see how many tickets the federation will accord us so that we can also add on the number of players we want to take for this crucial game,” he added.
With the Covid19 pandemic still looming large and stringent medical checks on foreign journeys, it would be wise if the four-time league kings travelled over 20 players. In a separate interview, Fufa communications manager Ahmed Hussein said they had extended 24 tickets to Vipers with the remaining slot reserved for the leader of delegation. Caf assigned Burundi match officials to take charge of the return leg that Al Hilal leads 1-0.
 
Expect radical changes
 Conventional wisdom disctates that Vipers will right away seek for the away goal to cancel out Bakhiet Hamid’s winner at St. Mary’s Stadium Kitende.
“We still have the return leg next week and there’s chance that we can go there and look for a better result,” coach Fred Kajoba stated. 

His proposed counterattacking approach will most likely have Ibrahim Orit start ahead of Milton Karisa, David Bagoole ahead of Jamil Kalisa and Dan Sserunkuma getting the nod over Abraham Ndugwa.
To spice up the creative realm, midfielder Allan Kayiwa is also tipped to have a look in as the Venoms attempt to snatch a rare away win.

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
PRELIMINARY ROUND 

Sunday, December 6
Al Hilal Club (1) vs. (0) Vipers
Omdurman Stadium | 4pm
Match officials
Thierry Nkurunziza (Burundi)
Herve Kakunze (Burundi)
Gustave Baguma (Burundi)
Georges Gatogato (Burundi)

Probable travelling squad;
Fabien Mutombora, Bashir Asiku, Disan Galiwango  Paul Mucureezi, Halid Lwaliwa, Geofrey Wasswa, Siraje Ssentamu, Jamil Kalisa, David Bagoole, Karim Watambala, Milton Karisa, Ibrahim Orit, Cesar Manzoki, Abraham Ndugwa, Daniel Sserunkuma, Bashir Sekagya, Denis Kiggundu, Livingstone Mulondo, Rashid Toha, Allan Kayiwa