Uganda’s soccer league champion’s URA FC face a stern test this Saturday against Mali’s top side Djoliba AC in a first round Orange CAF champions league encounter at Mandela stadium,Namboole.
They face one of Mali’s giant side’s in a tough continental tie as they seek to advance to the next round,but the Ugandan league champion’s head coach was not bothered by the huge task ahead.
“We are concentrating on this tie seriously and are not bothered about their status both of us a national league champions so each of us go into this game on equal grounds,” Alex Isabirye, the club’s coach told Kawowo sports on phone. “You make West African clubs look so
special we are Africans and we play almost the same football what makes them special. I am proud of my team and I believe we can match them equally.”
The Malian giant side has won their national league 21 times the last feat coming in 2009 where they completed a domestic double. They together with hot rivals Stade Malien are the biggest side’s in Mali.
They have made eight appearences in the new version of the Orange CAF champions league the highest point in their history in this continental knockout championship was a semi-final berth in 1967 in the older format of this competition.
URA are making fourth appearance in the CAF champions league where on three occassions have only reached the preliminary stages. The Tax collectors dismissed Lesotho Correctional Services 3-0 to advance to the next round of this competition while there West African opponents where drawn in the first round.