URA FC drawn with Cameroon giants Coton Sport FC

By James Bakama and Norman Katende

CAF Champions, first Leg (Feb 16, 2013)
Coton Sport v URA

Uganda’s CAF Champions League representatives URA are not shaken by the fact that they have been drawn with Cameroonian football giants Coton Sport FC de Garoua.

Coton Sport kicked URA out of the 2007 race. In 2008, Coton Sports were CAF Champions League runners-up.

But when contacted on Tuesday, URA coach Alex Isabirye said they will this time prepare properly for the West African side.

“True, Coton Sport is a good side but we also have a seasoned side. We should be able to further strengthen our squad in the next transfers,” said Isabirye.

URA made the CAF Champions League debut in 2007 but lost to Coton Sport. The Ugandan giants were back in 2008 but were kicked out by Zambian side ZESCO before losing again to another Zambian opposition––ZANACO in 2010.

The Confederation of African Football fixtures have also played in URA’s favour as they will be starting away.

The first leg will be held in the 35,000 seater Garoua stadium on February 16. The return leg is a fortnight later in Kampala.

Local soccer governing body FUFA last week entered URA as a replacement for Bell Uganda Super League champions Express who pulled out of the race.

URA was in the 2012 CAF Champions League disqualified for failure to honour a second round, return leg fixture against Mali’s Djoliba FC for security reasons. URA had lost the Kampala leg 2-0.

If URA progress, they will face either Sierra Leone side Diamond Stars or Ivory Coast side AFAD.