CAF Champions League 2018
Esperance de Tunis vs KCCA FC
Stade Olympique de Rades, Rades
Tuesday, 17-07-2018 @10:00pm
Referee: Noureddine El Jaafari Morocco
Just days to their CAF Champions League clash with Tunisian giants Esperance, KCCA FC head coach Mike Mutebi has come out and spoken about the clash and Esperance as an opponent.
This was during a press conference conducted on Friday morning at the StarTimes Stadium in Lugogo where Mutebi praised his side and assured the media that they (KCCA) will go to Rades and play for a positive result.
“We expect to have a tough time in Tunisia as Esperance are leading the group and are at home, said Mutebi.
“Six of their players have been at the World Cup which gives them more confidence but we are not worried.
“We still have almost the entire squad from last season and its good that some of our main players like Muzamir Mutyba are now fully fit as they were carrying injuries towards the end of last season and i believe we are stronger.
“All we need is to do our things right.
“Our players have been active, playing in the FUFA Drum and Clan competitions so the off season will not affect us because they have had enough playing time.
On the negative mentality that Ugandans have towards the local sides’ chances against North African opposition, Mutebi had this to say;
“Gone are the days when we got scared ahead of a clash with North Africans, we are now confident we can always pick positive results against them.
“We have made very good preparations and the players are confident especially after that win against AL Ahly at Namboole.
“We also learnt a lot from our loss in Tunis last season because we were not out played but we didn’t have the belief we could pick a desired result.
“We are going to play to win the game and not just seating back and let them come at us.
“We will play our way and let them react, the same way we approached the game against Township Rollers in Botswana. But we must be more organized if we are to get the desired result while not scrapping our philosophy.
KCCA FC lost 4-0 to Club African last season in the CAF Confederations Cup group stages.
Mutebi also added that KCCA FC has now earned the respect from other sides on the continent.
“The teams we play now respect us as we have provoked the attention with time.
KCCA are seated third on the Group A standings with three points from two games, level (points) with Township Rollers but with an inferior goal difference.
The Kasasiro Boys lost their first game 1-0 to Township Rollers before defeating Al Ahly 2-0 at Namboole thanks to Ibrahim Saddam Juma’s long range strike and Captain Timothy Awanyi’s penalty in the last 10 minutes.
After the trip to Tunisia, they will host Esperance on the 27th of July before welcoming Township Rollers to Namboole mid August.
Group A standings after two games:
- Esperance de Tunis 4pts
- Township Rollers 3pts
- KCCA FC 3pts
- Al Ahly 1pt
