CAF CONFEDERATION CUP
CS Sfaxien Vs Vipers SC
Today, January 20th
8:00PM (EAT)
Tareb Mhiri Stadium, Sfax
Vipers Sports Club face a massive test today when they take on Club Sportiff Sfaxien of Tunisia in a do-or-die encounter with victory or a scoring draw seeing the Venoms in the Confederation Cup group stages.
The Uganda Premier League defending champions secured qualification to the Uganda cup round of 16 on Tuesday with a rotated line-up running out 4-0 victors against big league side Kansai Plascon in the club’s last fixture before traveling to Sfax.
Attention now turns to a continental assignment with little room for error as they come up against one of Africa’s most dangerous attacking sides at their Tareb Mhiri fortress where avoiding defeat is Vipers only option if they are to qualify.
However, Vipers has no reason to fear as they showed when they outplayed them in a 0-0 draw at St Mary’s stadium last Saturday thus it promises to be one of those nervy nights in Sfax.
Team News:
There are no injury concerns to worry about therefore changes to the team that walloped Kansai Plascon are expected but Aggrey Madoi is a sure starter due to Yayo Lutimba’s unavailability through suspension.
Livingstone Mulondo would come after being rested on Tuesday with Abraham Ndugwa also hoping to start alongside Dan Serunkuuma and Tito Okello upfront.
Tadeo Lwanga, Geofrey Wasswa and Moses Waiswa might all pray in Ouma’s preffered 4-2-3-1 formation though it will also depend on how attack minded the coach sets out.
Defensively, we are bound to look superb as Halid Lwaliwa returns after missing the first leg with a shoulder injury while Burundian import Fabien Mutombora will be sentry between the goal posts.
The opposition:
Dutch Coach Ruud Josef Krol promised a more attacking game in the aftermath of a defensive display during the first leg however he will miss the services of his key player Hamza Mathlouthi through suspension.
The Juventus of the arabs as they are popularly known here, are unbeaten in the Tunisian Ligue Professionnele 1 lying in second position on the 14 team table log with 28 points out of 12 matches having scored 15 goals against 4.
In their last home confederation cup fixture, they beat Green Buffaloes of Zambia 4-1 before losing 1-0 away to go through 4-2 on aggregate.
The Coach’s view:
“CS Sfaxien are so dominant in this competition thus start as favourites however the more difficult it is, the more i enjoy the preparations and my troops are 100 percent focused so hopefully we can see that tonight”