KCCA FC’s improved away form is reaping the Ugandan club big on the continent. An away goal by striker Derrick Nsibambi in Madagascar saw coach Mike Mutebi’s team go past CNaPS Sport in the preliminary round via the away goals’ rule despite falling 2-2 on aggregate.
Now, after picking the first clean sheet in eight away games on the continent, KCCA FC want to make most of the goalless draw in Addis Ababa against Saint George.
The two teams meet again in the second leg of the first round in the CAF Champions League at Lugogo on Saturday and the hosts are targeting to make the lucrative competition group stages. Mutebi says his players are operating at 45 percent if it is only elevated, KCCA can beat Saint George. At this stage last year, after dumping out Angola’s Primeiro de Agosto, KCCA missed the Champions’ League group stages after losing to South Africa club Mamelodi Sundowns. Sundowns progressed 3-2 on aggregate after drawing 1-1 in the second leg in Kampala.
KCCA would have already buried this tie having created better chances like Nsibambi’s header off the woodwork and Muzamiru Mutyaba’s near miss in Addis Ababa. While KCCA dropped to the CAF Confederation Cup, Saint George reached the Champions League group stages but finished third behind Sundowns and Tunisia’s Esperance.
2018 CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
FIRST ROUND - SECOND LEG
SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - LUGOGO
KCCA (UGA) vs. Saint George (ETH), 4pm
FIRST LEG RESULT - MARCH 7
Saint George 0-0 KCCA
PRELIMINARY ROUND
1ST LEG - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10
CNaPS Sport (MAD) 2-1 KCCA (UGA)
2ND LEG - WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
KCCA 1-0 CNaPS Sport
FIRST ROUND - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8
St. George (ETH) vs. KCCA (UGA), Addis Ababa
KCCA ON THE CONTINENT - 2017
CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
KCCA 1-0 Club de Agosto (ANG)
Club de Agosto 2-1 KCCA
Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) 2-1 KCCA
KCCA 1-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
CAF CONFEDERATION CUP
KCCA 1-0 Al Masry (EGY)
Al Masry 1-0 KCCA
(KCCA won 4-3 on penalties)
GROUP STAGE
FUS Rabat (MAR) 3-0 KCCA
KCCA 2-1 Club Africain (TUN)
KCCA 2-1 Rivers United (NIG)
Rivers United 2-1 KCCA
KCCA 3-1 FUS Rabat
Club Africain 4-0 KCCA
FIRST LEG LINE-UPS
KCCA: C.Lukwago (GK), F.Obenchan, T.Awany ©, H.Kavuma, M.Kizza, I.Kirabira, M.Mutyaba, A.Okello, J.Poloto, D.Nsibambi (S.Okwalinga), P.Mucuurezi (M.Shaban)
SAINT GEORGE: R.Odongkara (GK), A.Mentsenot, A.Tamene, S.Barbacho, S.Butako, M.Mesein, N.Abdoulkarim, M.Gadisa, H.Amara, A.Sani (S.Said)
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