CAF Confederation Cup draw: KCCA v Otoho, Vipers v Sfaxien

Dec 28, 2018

Ugandan clubs KCCA FC and Vipers SC now know their opponents for the CAF Confederation Cup playoffs: AS Otoho and CS Sfaxien respectively.

DRAW FOR 2018-19 CAF CONFEDERATION CUP PLAY-OFF ROUND

Ugandan clubs in the draw

KCCA FC v AS Otoho
Vipers SC v CS Sfaxien


By Joseph Kizza

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@joekizza


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CAIRO - Uganda's representatives on the continent have now to figure out how to go past their now-revealed opposition to get into the group stage of the 2018-19 CAF Confederation Cup.

After smooth progression from the first round of the competition, KCCA FC will next face Congo side AS Otoho in the play-off round.

Vipers SC, who were demoted to the cup after an unsuccessful CAF Champions League campaign, will battle it out with Tunisian side CS Sfaxien to determine who goes through.

The duels were revealed during a CAF inter-clubs draw ceremony at the Nile Ritz-Carlton in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Friday.

It will be a two-legged affair, with each side playing both home and away. The winner over the two legs will move on to the group stage.

For the play-off round matchups, briefly, here is what happened:

The winners of the Confederation Cup first round were drawn against the losers of the Champions League first round.

The teams were seeded according to their performances in the CAF competitions for the previous five seasons.

KCCA, who were seeded winners from the Confederation Cup first round, were in Pot B. Vipers, unseeded losers from the Champions League first round, were in Pot C. Their respective opponents were revealed after random draws across the two pots.

That said, the teams from the Champions League will host the first leg. That means Vipers will be at home first against Sfaxien while KCCA will travel to Congo Brazzaville for their first leg encounter.

The exact dates for the two legs have yet to be established. But for now, we know that the first legs will be played January 11-13 and the return legs a week later - January 18-20.

 


Red-hot KCCA cruising

They have two weeks to prepare for Congo's Otoho.

For now, the Lugogo-based Kasasiro Boys are in fine form, and will be going into the weekend hoping to make it nine wins out of their last 10 games in all competitions.

Coach Mike Mutebi will take his troops to Njeru to face BUL FC on Saturday in the Uganda Premier League, as the table toppers hope to widen the gulf between them and second-placed Vipers, who will host Tooro United (formerly Soana FC) the same day.

Note that Vipers, the defending champions, have two games in hand.

Confidence is high at StarTimes Stadium as KCCA relish a blistering start to the season.

They have won eight games and drawn three so far, with the 3-2 defeat to Express FC earlier this month the only blemish on their title-seeking script.

Saturday's game will provide a realistic platform to test their endurance as they face a BUL side placed sixth on the table and who are determined to throw spike strips in the path of their more illustrious opponent.

Twelve-time league champions KCCA will be looking to build onto their comprehensive 8-2 Uganda Cup triumph over Amuka Bright Stars and their dislodgement of Mtibwa Sugar FC in the CAF Confederation Cup last week.

Can Mutebi and co keep the pedal to the metal?

 


Vipers seek redemption

Meanwhile, it has been mixed fortunes at St. Mary's Stadium Kitende.

While results have been positive domestically, it has been different on the continent. Algerian side CS Constantine subjected Vipers to an early CAF Champions League exit courtesy of back-to-back defeats.

In the aftermath of that disappointing venture, which has since reduced them to vying for a group stage place in the lower tier continental competition, the three-time Uganda Premier League champions will seek to rediscover their mojo.

Yet it will not be an easy task against Tunisian side Sfaxien, who have won the CAF Confederation Cup a record four times, the last time being in 2013. Only Étoile du Sahel - also from Tunisia - have won it as many times.

But Vipers have more immediate concerns - domestic in nature.

Javier Martinez Espinoza and his camp will have to put their lethargic Champions League show behind them and instead channel their focus on retaining the local league title.

Having played two games fewer than leaders KCCA, the Kitende-based side will on Saturday play host to Tooro United in a bid to lift the mood at St. Mary's Stadium and keep pace with their closest challenger.

But Wasswa Bbosa's side, who have just had a name change, will arrive at the holders' turf with other ideas. They are lying 11th on the table, having picked up three wins in their campaign so far and will be keen on building to that tally.

Vipers, meanwhile, do not have the luxury to slip up. Their immediate rivals KCCA are on red-hot form and for them, the only way to stand the heat in the kitchen is to win their games.

The test is on.


 

 

Also related to this story

Uganda Cup: KCCA box out Amuka in 10-goal thriller

CAF Confederation Cup: KCCA swipe aside Mtibwa to progress

CAF Confederation Cup: KCCA 3 Mtibwa Sugar 0

What next for Vipers after CAF Champions League exit?

 

 

 

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