Victory not enough as Vipers crash out of CAF Champions League Preliminaries

Yunus Sentamu's brace was not enough as Vipers crashed out of CAF Champions League Preliminaries /Pulse Sports image

FOOTBALL Victory not enough as Vipers crash out of CAF Champions League Preliminaries

Ndyamuhaki J Emanzi 20:33 - 26.08.2023

Yunus Sentamu then converted Vipers’ pressure into a goal, opening the scoring in the 30th minute before doubling the lead in the sixth minute of first half added time.

Vipers’ ambitions of reaching the group stages of the CAF Champions League were dashed Saturday night despite winning 2-1 at home to Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy FC.

The Venoms came into the return leg of the fixture needing to win 2-0 and force penalties or get a bigger scoreline to overturn the first-round deficit.

For some time in the game, Vipers looked comfortable, dominating the ball and creating chances to give the home crowd hope.

Vipers SC players celebrate one of Yunus Sentamu's goals in their 2-1 win over Jwaneng Galaxy Saturday night /Pulse Sports image

Yunus Sentamu then converted Vipers’ pressure into a goal, opening the scoring in the 30th minute before doubling the lead in the sixth minute of first half added time.

If that dominant first half display was supposed to set the stage for a perfect evening at Kitende, it didn’t trouble the visitors that much in the second half, and they held on to stay in the game until their moment came.

With the clock ticking and the two sides looking like they would be separated from spot kicks, Gilberto Baruti silenced Kitende with a well-taken freekick in the 89th minute to give Vipers too much to do in the remaining minutes.

That away goal meant that Vipers were then looking for two more goals to go through to the next round, but even with eight minutes added after the 90; there was no way back for the hosts who have now been bundled out.

Vipers captain Milton Karisa in action against Jwaneng Galaxy on Saturday night at St. Mary's Kitende /Pulse Sports image

Vipers’ attention will have to be drawn back to the first round clash in Botswana, where they failed to get an away goal and conceded two.

The visitors ensured they stayed in the game at Kitende, and when their opportunity came, they pounced to grab a ticket to the next round.

Jwaneng will now face South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, who defeated Djabal FC 3-0 in the return leg to win the tie 4-0 on aggregate.

For Vipers and new head coach Leonard Martins Neiva, the attention will now turn to defending the Startimes Uganda Premier League and Stanbic Uganda Cup.

CAF Champions League Preliminaries

Saturday result

Vipers 2-1 Jwaneng Galaxy (2-3)

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