By Brian Bariyo Tumuramye
The Kasasiro boys have had a trying Continental campaign so far and will be desperate to ensure they reach the group stages and hoping for a good result when they host Algerian side Paradou AC in the CAF Confederations Cup playoff round first leg on Sunday.
However, they lost on away goals to Petro de Luanda in the playoff round and as a consequence, dropped into the Confederations Cup.
Mike Mutebi’s side overcame African Stars in the Champions League first round and looked on course to a return to the lucrative group stages in head of the first leg against Paradou, Mutebi is optimistic his side can get the job get done.
Mutebi said, “having dropped out from Champions league, we are going to try to pullout all what we have to see that we negotiate this tie and go to the group stages and we have the capacity to do it and we have to win,
“They have experience, they play very well on the counter attacks, manage the ball so well but my boys too have enough experience having played more games on the continent despite being young.
“We are ready to deal with that challenge, meaning we must match them in as far as using the ball is concerned.”
KCCA FC will have Muzamir Mutyaba make a timely return from a lay off. Muzamir got injured in the club’s CAF Champions League qualifier against Petro De Luanda and has not played competitive football since. Left back Eric Ssenjobe is back as well and has been included on squad to play on Sunday while the match comes too early for Julius Poloto, Jurua Hassan, and Sadam Juma. The trio of John Odumegwu, John Revita, Keziron Kizito, and Erisa Sekisambu is ineligible.
To get here, Paradou knocked out three time record champions CS Sfaxien of Tunisia 3-1 on aggregate to reach this stage after eliminating CI KAMSAR of Guinea by 3-1 on aggregate in the first round.
They will not be a walk in the park for KCCA FC but are yet to score a goal on their travels.
Paradou who are not doing well in Algeria Topflight league, will rely on Yousir Bouzok and Abdelkadir Ghorab who are their leading goal scorers in the tournament so far.
Hamza Mouali one of the goal scores against Sfaxien will also be key in defense not forgetting the young midfilder Hichman Boudoaui the only local based player in the Algerian Squad that won the famous African cup of nation in July this year.
The second leg between the two sides will be played on November 3rd in Algeria where the winner on aggregate will reach the group stages.
