Certainly, KCCA have ticked many boxes during their run on the continent this season. The Ugandan club was not only the first to make the CAF Club competitions’ Group stages but further, they are up to pace. Albeit the goal difference which puts them below, KCCA is level with the rest on three points after two matches.
And that comes after coach Mike Mutebi’s outfit responded to the 3-0 loss to FUS Rabat with a 2-1 victory over Tunisian side Club Africain at Lugogo just over a week ago. Goals from Derrick Nsibambi and Tom Masiko rescued KCCA from a pit having fallen to Mokhtar Belkhiter’s opener inside 19 minutes. Thereafter, KCCA went on to eliminate Express 3-2 in the Uganda Cup, after winning the first leg on the back of Geoffrey Sserunkuma’s brace in Lugogo. Masiko had netted their opener from a free-kick for his third successive goal in as many games.
club website after the visit to Express early this week. Mutebi now hopes his side can build on the decent home record when they host Nigerian side Rivers United at the Phillip Omondi Stadium on Saturday. Prior to beating Club Africain, KCCA captain Dennis Okot emphasized the need to win home games. “All teams that do well here do the job at home,” he said.
And KCCA’s surge on the continent partly falls to the firm foundation laid by results picked in front of the yellow faithful in Kampala. The Azam Uganda Premier League champions have beaten every visiting opponent in Lugogo except Caf Champions League holders Mamelodi Sundowns. But Angolan side Club de Agosto, Egypt’s Al Masry and Africain all fell in Lugogo. Okot and company hope they can down Rivers United, the only side left in the competition from Naija land. Coach Stanley Eguma’s side shocked Rabat in the previous round, winning 1-0 in Port Harcout courtesy of Emeka Atuloma’s 72nd minute winner.
This club was formed after the merging of Sharks FC and Dolphins FC last year. The latter franchise made the 2005 Caf Confederation Cup final, losing to FUS Rabat 3-1 on aggregate in the final. Elsewhere, FUS Rabat and Africain face off in a North African derby on Friday.
TOTAL CAF CONFEDERATION CUPGROUP AMATCH DAY THREE FIXTURESFRIDAY, JUNE 2 - RABATFUS Rabat (MAR) vs. Club Africain (TUN)
Referee: Referee: Mahmoud Bassiouny (Egypt)
SATURDAY, JUNE 3 - LUGOGOKCCA (UGA) vs. Rivers United (NIG)
Referee: Hassan Mohamed Hagi (Somalia)
TABLE STANDINGSTeam Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts FUS Rabat (MAR) 2 1 0 1 3 1 +2 3
Club Africain (TUN) 2 1 0 1 4 3 +1 3
Rivers Utd (NIG) 2 1 0 1 2 3 -1 3
KCCA (UGA) 2 1 0 1 2 4 -2 3
This writer is a scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and, also a sports presenter with NBS Television and Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune.