CAF Champions League (1st Round, Return Leg):
Saturday, 22 December 2018
Vipers (Uganda) Vs CS Constantine (Algeria)
*CS Constantine leads 1-0 from first leg
It is a moment of truth for the reigning Uganda Premier League champions Vipers Sports Club prior to the return leg of the CAF Champions League first round duel against Algeria’s CS Constantine at the St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende this Saturday.
The Ugandans kick off the second match trailing by a goal suffered in the 1-0 loss in Algeria under freezing conditions at
at the Mohamed Hamlaoui Stadium last Friday.
It is a different wave length, with a different match altogether, different approach with more or less the same players and technical benches.
Lwanga, Wasswa boost:
Vipers’ captain Tadeo Lwanga and utility player Geofrey Wasswa missed the first leg away due to suspension accruing from accumulated cautions.
The two important players on the team return to the fold on Saturday afternoon.
They both featured in Wednesday’s 3-1 away win for Vipers against BUL at the FUFA Technical Center in Njeru; although Lwanga limped out with a leg injury.
Striker Daniel ‘Muzeyi’ Sserunkuma, Tito Okello and second half substitute Duncan Sseninde who scored the goals for the venoms against BUL will be hopeful they replicate this very form against the North Africans.
Other Vipers’ crucial players will include Uganda Cranes midfielder Moses Waiswa, Abraham Ndugwa, the defenders Livingstone Mulondo, Ibrahim Kiyemba, Halid Lwaliwa and Yayo Kato Lutimba.
With Burundian goalkeeper Fabian Mutombora steadily returning to fitness and Bashir Ssekagya out at the moment, the onus will still be on Derrick Ochan to command a starting slot on the day a clean sheet is demanded at all times.
We saw how the opponents play during the first leg away. We are at home and shall give 100 percent at all times. We need two goals and keep our defence solid at all times.
Javier Martinez Espinoza, Vipers Head coach
The Algerian delegation arrived in the country on Wednesday with a 31 man team before they checked in at Hotel Africana.
They were full of optimism of finishing the job against Vipers SC in the words of their head coach Dennis Lavan.
Dennis Lavan, CS Constantine Head coach
We are glad to be here and we are positive to play and win. We didn’t achieve our target in the first leg. We wanted to score more goals but Vipers were solid. We shall try to win away and we are focused on that and go to the group stages of the Caf Champions League.
Vipers need to win a two goal margin to reach the group stages of the lucrative competition for the first time in history.
Vipers XI (Probable):
Derrick Ochan (G.K), Ibrahim Kiyemba, Yayo Kato Lutimba, Halid Lwaliwa, Livingstone Mulondo, Geofrey Wasswa, Tadeo Lwanga (Captain), Moses Waiswa, Tito Okello, Abraham Ndugwa, Dan Muzeyi Sserunkuma
Subs:
Fabien Mutombora (G.K), Brian Nkuubi Ssemakula, Rahmat Ssenfuka, Noah Wafula, Duncan Sseninde, Brian Kalumba, Joseph Janjali
The winner on aggregate will progress to the lucrative and prestigious group phase of the competition where each of the clubs at that stage is guaranteed of at least Shs 1 billion.
The losing side will be relegated to the CAF Confederation cup.
Match Officials:
- Center Referee: Ali Mohammed Adelaid
- First Assistant Referee: Samir Gamal Saad
- Second Assistant Referee: Mahmoud El Regal
What happens if match ends 1:0 in favour for Vipers?