KCCA unruffled by prospect of facing soccer aristocrats

Today, 8pm
CAF Champions League
Group stage draw in Cairo
Opening game May 4 to 6

Many Ugandans shudder at the mere thought of facing teams like Al Ahly, Esperance or TP Mazembe.

Coach Mike Mutebi does not fall in that fear bracket. In fact as the CAF Champions League draws are made in Cairo today, Mutebi's prayer is that his side is drawn with such giants.

"I like to meet teams that comfortably pass the ball around because they make my players think. I just can't wait to meet such teams in the group stages," the KCCA coach recently stated.

"We have what is required to compete with any team we shall be drawn with.

"This will help our team to grow and also compete. I would have wanted to face a team like Angola's 1º de Agosto since they use the ball well."

Indeed by the end of the day today Mutebi will know which giants are in his group. Draws for the 16 remaining teams will be made in the Egyptian capital Cairo this evening.

The 16 teams, all winners of the first round of qualifying, are drawn into four groups of four. The teams are seeded by their performances in the CAF competitions for the previous five seasons.

Mutebi's confidence stems from two serious outings on the continent.

Last season KCCA was edged to a slot to the CAF Champions' league group stage by then reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

They thereafter made it to the CAF Confederations Cup group stages where they fi nished third out of four teams.

This year they finally made the champions' league group stage. They beat Madagascar's CNaPS in the preliminaries the eliminated St George in the first round.