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Sour Continental Return For Villa In Empty Namboole

Sports Club Villa lost their first round of the CAF Champions League preliminary game against Central Bank of Ethiopia 1:2 at Namboole Stadium.

The Jogoo came into the game following a hiccup regarding the availability of Namboole Stadium. Following the confirmation by Namboole on Thursday, SC Villa headed into the continental game on the back foot.

Morley Byekwaso’s charges conceded first as CBE’s Simon Peter Oketch beat Villa custodian Jeans Brady Wokorach. Villa tried to get back into the game as the mercurial Patrick Kakande kept testing the Ethiopian side’s defense. Kakande forced a couple of shots that went begging despite having teammates in better positions.In the second half, Villa made changes in a bid to restore parity.

Forward Charles Lwanga, Elvis Ngonde, and Hakim Kiwanuka came on for Andrew Otim, Najib Yiga, and Tony Atukunda. However, the visitors doubled their lead with a goal straight from the training ground. Adid Gedey converted a brilliant team goal that was produced by meticulous passing.

CBE’s second goal set the pace for an entertaining last quarter of the game that saw Elvis Ngonde give Villa a glimmer of hope in the second round. Ngonde halved the deficit in the 69th minute to score Villa’s first Champions League goal in two decades.

Villa welcomed by empty Namboole

Despite having one of the biggest fanbases in Ugandan football, the stands at Namboole during Villa’s return were virtually empty. With fans literally social distancing, a number of pundits have blamed the situation on the hefty prices. Villa’s management placed their ordinary ticket at shs 50,000, a decision a section of fans felt was inconsiderate. In contrast, the ordinary ticket prices for Uganda Cranes return games to Namboole against Algeria and Botswana were shs 25,000 each.

In the other continental game, Kitara FC put up a resilient show as they lost 3-2 to Libya’s Al Hilal Benghazi at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium. Goals from Brian Aheebwa and Denis Omedi saw Brian Ssenyondo’s charges recover from a dismal start. Goalkeeper Chrispus Kusiima was sent off in Kitara’s first continental game. Striker Muhammad Shaban scored for his Al Hilal Benghazi within just two minutes of the game.

Both Villa and Kitara go into the second round within touching distance of qualification, being a goal down.


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