KCC's Umony to face 6ft challenge
Mar 10, 2009
KCC’S Champions League hopes this Friday could well depend on whether Uganda’s representatives can successfully overrun SuperSport United’s resilient and tall back-four.
CAF Champions League
Friday, 4pm
KCC FC v SuperSport
By Fred Kaweesi
KCC’S Champions League hopes this Friday could well depend on whether Uganda’s representatives can successfully overrun SuperSport United’s resilient and tall back-four.
Aside from priding themselves on the second best defensive record of 18 goals conceded in 24 Premier Soccer League (PSL) outings in South Africa, KCC’s pocket-sized strikers will have to design a strategy to unlock SuperSport’s 6ft plus defenders and goalkeeper.
The visitors will assemble an all-South African back-four of Morgan Gould (6ft1), Bongani Khumalo (6ft3) at the heart of defence, with Hlompho Kekana (6ft) and the ‘short’ Tsietsi Mahoa (5ft7) occupying the right and left-back positions.
Ugandan custodian Denis Onyango, who is expected to occupy the team’s goal posts, is 6ft2. Team captain and first team defender Ricardo Katza, who is struggling with injury, is 6ft1.
The visitors are bound to territorially dominate in their own defensive half, meaning KCC boss George Nsimbe will have to call upon every bit of muscle and instinctive movement into the final third of the pitch, from his attacking unit.
“We are working out a strategy for all eventualities. We will try to look for many goals that will give us that significant cushion going into the return leg,†Nsimbe stated.
KCC’s lead strikers Brian Umony and Robert Ssentongo are 5ft7 and 5ft2 tall respectively, not the ideal statistics for lead forwards in modern football.
Umony is however an exception and knows how to find his way around even the tallest defenders as he did in the CECAFA Cup final against Kenya in January.
His two precious headers catapulted KCC into the second round of the continent’s top club showpiece past Mozambique side Ferroviaro de Maputo.
The 22-year old’s aerial competence yet again guaranteed Cranes an early lead in Uganda’s 2-0 win over Sudan in a friendly on Saturday. Vincent Kayizzi and Asuman Buyinza would have been good additions to KCC but will not be considered. Kayizzi was in Serbia and Buyinza in Kenya seeking professional careers.
SuperSport has exhibited astute movement in the PSL this season on and off the ball, and KCC ought to fall back often when without possession.
Friday, 4pm
KCC FC v SuperSport
By Fred Kaweesi
KCC’S Champions League hopes this Friday could well depend on whether Uganda’s representatives can successfully overrun SuperSport United’s resilient and tall back-four.
Aside from priding themselves on the second best defensive record of 18 goals conceded in 24 Premier Soccer League (PSL) outings in South Africa, KCC’s pocket-sized strikers will have to design a strategy to unlock SuperSport’s 6ft plus defenders and goalkeeper.
The visitors will assemble an all-South African back-four of Morgan Gould (6ft1), Bongani Khumalo (6ft3) at the heart of defence, with Hlompho Kekana (6ft) and the ‘short’ Tsietsi Mahoa (5ft7) occupying the right and left-back positions.
Ugandan custodian Denis Onyango, who is expected to occupy the team’s goal posts, is 6ft2. Team captain and first team defender Ricardo Katza, who is struggling with injury, is 6ft1.
The visitors are bound to territorially dominate in their own defensive half, meaning KCC boss George Nsimbe will have to call upon every bit of muscle and instinctive movement into the final third of the pitch, from his attacking unit.
“We are working out a strategy for all eventualities. We will try to look for many goals that will give us that significant cushion going into the return leg,†Nsimbe stated.
KCC’s lead strikers Brian Umony and Robert Ssentongo are 5ft7 and 5ft2 tall respectively, not the ideal statistics for lead forwards in modern football.
Umony is however an exception and knows how to find his way around even the tallest defenders as he did in the CECAFA Cup final against Kenya in January.
His two precious headers catapulted KCC into the second round of the continent’s top club showpiece past Mozambique side Ferroviaro de Maputo.
The 22-year old’s aerial competence yet again guaranteed Cranes an early lead in Uganda’s 2-0 win over Sudan in a friendly on Saturday. Vincent Kayizzi and Asuman Buyinza would have been good additions to KCC but will not be considered. Kayizzi was in Serbia and Buyinza in Kenya seeking professional careers.
SuperSport has exhibited astute movement in the PSL this season on and off the ball, and KCC ought to fall back often when without possession.