Vipers Land Tricky CAF Champions League Draw After Lucky Escape Against Namibian Side

Ugandan champions Vipers have their work cut out in the CAF Champions League second preliminary round as they have been paired with Zambian giants Power Dynamos.

Vipers overcame Namibian side African Stars 2-0 on aggregate in the first preliminary round but it does not get easier in the next round as they must negotiate their way past the Zambian club if they are to make it to the group stages where $900,000 (UGX 3.1 billion) lies in wait.

A solitary goal from Yunus Sentamu was enough to give Vipers a 1-0 second leg victory over African Stars, securing their spot in the next round, having won by the same margin in the first round, with the decisive moment coming at the half-hour mark when the forward capitalised on a defensive error.

African Stars' centre-backs failed to clear the ball while playing out from the back, allowing Milton Karisa to press effectively and set up the chance.

Vipers coach Ivan Minnaert made two changes to the lineup that started in the first leg at Athlone a week ago. Sentamu repaid the coach's faith with the winning goal, while Liberian international Robin Kane was also given a start ahead of Karisa.

Despite the result, the visitors were arguably the better side for large portions of the match but were wasteful in front of goal. They missed several key opportunities, including a one-on-one situation and another effort that struck the post in the first half.

The Uganda Premier League champions, however, managed the game effectively and were rewarded for their clinical finishing.

Power Dynamos sealed their place in the second round after winning 7-6 on post-match penalties against Ivorian giants Asec Mimosas, having played out a 1-1 draw on aggregate.

Vipers will, however, need to improve massively to have any chance against the Zambian outfit as the Namibian club exposed a number of their weakness in the first round of the continental competition.