Vipers fancy their chances after narrow loss to Constantine

Result

• Caf Champions League First Round, 1^st leg
• CS Constantine (Algeria) 1-0 Vipers SC (Uganda)

Vipers have given themselves a massive chance to reach the group stages of the Caf Champions League after narrowly losing to Algeria’s CS Constantine.

The Ugandan representatives lost 1-0 in the first leg of the first round away to the Algerian side with Beldjijali scoring the only goal of the game.

Without inspirational captain Taddeo Lwanga and defender Geoffrey Wasswa, Javier Martinez Espinoza employed Rahmat Ssenfuka in the defensive midfield role while Ibrahim Kiyemba started at right back.

They did however look nervous in the first quarter of the game and it duly showed when they conceded in the 14^thminute.

Another bad incident befell them when goalie Bashir Sekagya was forced off the pitch through injury and his place was taken over by young goalie Derrick Ochan.

The first half was all dominated by the hosts but the visitors did well defensively to keep the score line at just 1-0.

There was not much difference in approach from either side after the break with the hosts still taking the ball to the Venoms who did well to resist a second goal.

Noah Wafula and later Duncan Sseninde got on the pitch taking over from Brian Nkuubi and Abraham Ndugwa respectively as the visitors sought fresh legs.

With just three minutes to the final whistle, Constantine thought they had got a second goal but the effort was ruled out for offside.

They scored again from a corner but the flag was already up indicating the ball had gone out before returning into the area and the replays confirmed the assistant was right.

Until the final whistle, the hosts were better side but credit to astute defending from the Venoms who now need at least a 2-0 win at Kitende to advance.

Vipers Line Up

Bashir Sekagya (GK) (Derrick Ochan), Ibrahim Kiyemba, Livingstone Mulondo, Halid Lwaliwa, Yayo Lutimba, Brian Nkuubi (Duncan Sseninde), Rahmat Ssenfuka, Moses Waiswa, Tito Okello, Daniel Sserunkuma and Abraham Ndugwa (Noah Wafula)  

Unused substitutes

Tom Masiko, Joseph Janjali, Davis Kasirye