KCCA FC and Vipers SC will begin their 2017 Caf Champions League and Caf Confederations Cup campaigns respectively in February, immediately after the Africa Cup of Nations.
On Wednesday evening, news broke that Uganda’s representatives in the Caf Champions League, KCCA, would be meeting Angola’s Primeiro de Agosto while Vipers SC, the Caf Confederations Cup representatives, face Comoros’ Volcan Club de Moroni.
This followed the draws conducted by Caf earlier in the day. However, both KCCA and Vipers have been pitted against opposition not known for their pedigree in African club football, leaving the two Ugandan representatives with much homework to do on them, though.
Formed in 1977, Primeiro has won 10 league titles, including the 2016 one. They have appeared in the Caf Champions League, previously the Africa Club Championship, 13 times, although their best showing was a quarter-final finish in 2009. KCCA last reached this stage in 1997 in the Caf Confederations Cup.
This means that Primeiro has relatively more experience than KCCA reaching the latter stages of a Caf competition in recent years. But that will not scare KCCA manager Mike Mutebi. He said: “Our target is to reach the quarter-final group stages regardless of which opposition is put ahead of us. These are exciting moments for us as a team.”
Primeiro’s last appearance in this Cup was in 2014, where they were knocked out in the first round-of-32 teams. Nonetheless, with the Caf Cup Winners and Caf Confederations Cup added, Primeiro has played on the continent 20 times.
“We have to respect them,” Mutebi said, adding, “at KCCA, we believe in the ability of our team.”
However, the last Angolan side to face Ugandan opposition was AS Aviacao in 2003, which knocked out SC Villa in the round of 32. While Villa had won the first leg away 2-1, they lost the return leg 0-2, goals given away in the last eight minutes.
KCCA, who host the first leg on the weekend of February 10 to 12, will be cautious of that, and the fact that Southern African opposition has had its good days against Ugandan teams. Ajax Cape Town knocked out KCCA in 2000, as Orlando Pirates did to URA FC in 2015.
The winner of the KCCA/Primeiro tie will face defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa. Equally, Vipers, who are fancied to beat lowly Comoros side Volcan Club de Moroni, will face the winner between South African side Platinum Stars and Uniao do Songo of Mozambique.
But Vipers coach Richard Wasswa is not looking that far yet because he feels Moroni earned their place at this stage and cannot be undermined. But with their only continental appearance being in 2015 in the Caf Confederations Cup, where they fell at the first hurdle, it will be an abomination if Vipers do not leave them for dead.
jovi@observer.ug