Vipers midfield still solid without me, says departing Byaruhanga

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PRELIMINARY STAGE

 Tomorrow, 6pm

 Olympic Real De Bangui v Vipers

 Stade Alphonse Massamba Debat, Congo Brazzaville

Outgoing Vipers midfield dynamo Bobosi Byaruhanga has given a genuine assessment of the Venoms' potential in the upcoming Caf Champions League quest.

He is not on the plane to Congo Brazzaville simply because his proposed move to the paid ranks with Serbian club MFK Vyškov is close to completion.

Byaruhanga has been training with Vipers until yesterday when they jetted off to face Central African Republic (CAF) team Olympic Real De Bangui at Stade Alphonse Massamba Debat tomorrow in Brazzaville.

"Vipers have higher chances of winning on Saturday without me, Caesar Manzoki and Halid Lwaliwa. The coach's plan is to finish off the contest away from home and make it pressure free at St Mary's Stadium in Kitende," Byaruhanga told Daily Monitor.

With Manzoki now in China with Dalian FC, Vipers coach Roberto Oliveira will bank on Cromwell Rwothomio, Milton Karisa, and Nigerian Abubakar Lawal for goals while Byaruhanga's void is now a preserve for new signing Marvin Youngman. The absence of Yunus Sentamu on the 19-man squad to Congo is also a spot of bother for Oliveira.

"I know the new midfield setup of Youngman, Siraje Ssentamu and najib Yiga is still learning to play together but they can take on the Bangui duty well. The other new signing (Olivier Osomba) will also jump in slowly once he adapts to the speed and power that the Ugandan game demands," Byaruhanga added.

He is scheduled to fly out to his new work station next week but will leave a contented man that his former employers can get past Bangui and meet former winners TP Mazembe of DR Congo at the next stage.

"If Cromwell and Karisa can get the goals, Vipers can get to the second stage and meet Mazembe who are not as strong as before. I have friends at Mazembe who tell me they fear the prospect of meeting Vipers next. I have a belief that Vipers can even make the group stages for the first time," said Byaruhanga, the reigning Airtel-Fufa male player of the year.

TRAVELLING SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Fabien Mutombora, Alfred Mudekereza.

Defenders: Murushid Juuko, Livingstone Mulondo, Dissan Galiwango, Hilary Mukundane, Isa Mubiru, Ashraf Mandela.

Midfielders: Abdu Lumala, Bright Anukani, Marvin Joseph Youngman, Siraje Sentamu, Olivier Osomba, Ibrahim Orit, Abdu Karim Watambala.

Forwards: Cromwell Rwothomio,Milton Karisa, Najib Yiga, Abubakar Lawal.