- Saturday March 18, 2017
- Platinum Stars (RSA) Vs Vipers (Uganda) – Royal Bafokeng @ 7pm (Local Time) 8pm EAT)
- [Vipers lead 1-0 from the first leg]
Vipers will be in confident spirits as they look to progress to the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup as they carry a slim lead 1-0 to Royal Bafokeng.
Milton Karisa scored the only goal of the game at the newly constructed St. Mary’s Stadium last week and Portuguese, Miguel Jorge Duarte hopes the Venoms build on that.
The two-time league champions can take heart from the victory at Kitende seven days ago, but Duarte’s team have failed to win any of their last two continental away fixtures in history.
“Since I came here, my mission has been straight – to win and win,” said Duarte as the team departed. “I will not go there (South Africa) to defend,” he added.
We need to attack and win the game so that we progress to the next level.
Dikwena coach Cavin Johnson was left to rue the horrible ground at Kitende in the first leg and believes on a better pitch, they will be dangerous.
“It can be a better ground, a lot even,” he told the post-match presser after the first leg in Kitende. “I don’t think the football field is a field for playing this type of competition. For future maybe it will get better,” he added.
We will play better football and hopefully we will have a better ref as well. When you get to South Africa, be prepared to play on a better pitch and better referee. I thought the refereeing was not good but that’s how football is. You win some and you lose some.
Team News
The information from the hosts’ camp has remained scanty but no injuries have been reported.
Malawian midfielder Robert Ngambi missed the first leg in Kitende but maybe available for selection in Rustenburg.
For the visitors, left back Aggrey Madoi returns after missing the first leg but striker Tony Odur has been the surprise omission from the squad.
The rest of the players who touched down in South Africa are fit and raring to go.
Man to Watch
Robert Ngambi – The Malawian has scored 7 goals so far in the campaign and if fit as reported will pose questions to the Venoms backline as they must attack to have a chance of going through.
Deus Bukenya – He scored the only goal that put the Ugandan representatives in this round. He is aggressive, a good game reader with energy to play box to box and that will be paramount come Saturday.
Stats
- This will be Vipers third away game in continental football – of the two played, they have lost once and drawn as many.
- Vipers are unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions and are in fifth position on the domestic standings while Dikwena are 8th on the PSL
- Platinum Stars have won six of their last nine matches in all competition and have scored 10 goals in their last five matches.
Vipers Probable XI
Ismail Watenga (GK), Nicholas Wadada (C), Aggrey Madoi, Halid Lwaliwa, Shafik Bakaki, Deus Bukenya, Siraje Sentamu, Moses Waiswa, Milton Karisa, Mike Sserumaga and Erisa Sekisambu.