Caf Champions League, First Round 2nd leg
- KCCA (UG) Vs St. George (Eth) – StarTimes stadium, Lugogo
- Saturday March 17, 2018 @ 4pm
KCCA are 90 minutes away from reaching the group stages of the 2018 CAF Champions League where at least Shs. 2 billion ($ 0.55 million) is at stake.
The Kasasiro host Ethiopia’s St. George at StarTimes stadium, Lugogo on Saturday confident following a goalless draw in Addis ten days ago.
With a place in the group stages of the most lucrative competition on the continent at stake, both teams will be eager to avoid mistakes that will see them drop to the CAF Confederation Cup.
KCCA Manager, Mike Mutebi is aware of how dangerous a goalless score in the reverse fixture means but remains confident his boys will do the job and progress.
“It’s a very vital match to us as a team,” said Mutebi. “The mood and morale in camp is very good and Iam sure we shall progress to the group stages,” he added.
I believe and am confident that on Saturday, we have enough to win the game playing our way. We shall play our usual game of going forward with no pressure and I expect the game to be very open as both sides will want to score first.
His counterpart, Manuel Vaz Pinto of St. George is also optimistic about his side’s chances terming the tie as still open.
“It is still an open game but we are assured of progress. We shall play as a unit to ensure qualification. We have done the work necessary.
Between the posts at the end, will be a common figure in Robert Odongkara for Ethiopia.
The gigantic custodian is aware of KCCA’s impregnable record at Lugogo but says records are there to be broken.
“Records are meant to be broken, if KCCA beats us it won’t be news but we are here as soldiers to do our mission,” he told the local press on arrival at Entebbe on Thursday. “We want to qualify and we want to work as a team,” Odongkara stressed.
Key Stats:
- The winner of the game at Lugogo will advance to the group stages.
- A goalless draw will call for post-match penalties to decide tie winner while a score draw will see the Ethiopian giants through.
- KCCA reached the group stages of the CAF Confederation last year while St. George played in the CAF Champions League.
- KCCA have never lost a continental game at Lugogo – 5 wins, 1 draw.
- KCCA have kept just two clean sheets at Lugogo in continental competitions (Vs El Masry and Primeiro de Agosto).
- Last year, St. George failed to score just twice in five away games on the continent.
KCCA Probable XI
Charles Lukwago (GK), Filbert Obenchan, Timothy Awany ©, Habib Kavuma, Mustafa Kizza, Paul Mucureezi, Isaac Kirabira, Muzamiru Mutyaba, Allan Okello, Derrick Nsibambi and Muhammad Shaban.