KCCA FC must address their calamity defending that has cost them dearly in recent games as they prepare for this Saturday’s Caf Confederation Cup round-of-32 tie with Egypt’s El-Masry, reports JOHN VIANNEY NSIMBE.
KCCA go into their scheduled Caf Confederations Cup match against El Masry on the back of suspect defending. This is a problem they must find a solution to, if they are to make the lucrative group stages of one of the continent’s elite club competition.
Having begun this year in ruthless mood (they scored 23 goals in seven games in the Uganda Premier League, Uganda Cup and Caf Champions League), KCCA have had a slump in their performances, thanks in large part to defensive lapses.
During that time only Angolan club Primeiro de Agosto scored twice against them. However, since the Mamelodi Sundowns two-legged tie in which they were knocked out of the Caf Champions League on 2-3 aggregate loss, KCCA appear to have lost their toughness on both ends of the field.
Conceding late goals has compounded their bad defending, a concern before they face El-Masry on Saturday. Last week, KCCA conceded at the stroke of halftime to Soana FC before a last eight-minute onslaught by Police FC saw them squander their two-nil lead. Team manager Mike Mutebi admits his side has not been defending well.
“We have given our opponents chances because we are not concentrating on our roles,” Mutebi said in an interview on Monday.
The outspoken tactician lamented that they have conceded cheap goals and rallied his players to reverse the trend.
“But countering these situations is something we have been practicing since the beginning of the season, although we switch off at critical times,” he added.
However, Mutebi’s critics blame his possession-based game for tiring players, who become vulnerable during counter-attacks. Despite the pedigree that Egyptian clubs have over Ugandan opponents, Mutebi is not about to adopt a ‘park-the-bus’ approach. He insists the only way KCCA can beat El-Masry will be outscoring them.
Not that caution will be thrown out of the wind entirely, but Mutebi says attacking is the best option to put pressure on El-Masry.
Should KCCA go on to eliminate El-Masry, they will join the lucrative group phase of the competition, where they would assured of at least $300,000 in prize money.
CAf confederation cup
Saturday@4pm
KCCA v El Masry
ENTRY FEE
Shs 10,000 (Ordinary)
Shs 20,000 (VIP)
Shs 50,000 (VVIP)
jovi@observer.ug