It was a rough start for the Ugandan representatives, Vipers SC, in the CAF Champions League on Friday night as they faced off against the three-time African champions, Raja Casablanca. The game was played in an empty stadium, but the lack of fans was the least of the Vipers’ worries. In just ten minutes, the visitors found themselves down by two goals thanks to some costly errors from goalkeeper Alfred Mudekereza.
The first goal came in the fifth minute when Mudekereza was caught off guard as the hosts scored through a deflected header from Hamza Khabba. Then, just five minutes later, the goalkeeper spilled the ball from a Casablanca freekick, leading to Jamal Harkass doubling the home side’s lead.
Despite dominating the game for long spells, the home side continued to put pressure on the Vipers SC, with Mohammed Zrida adding another goal in the 38th minute. In the second half, Vipers’ Brazilian coach, Bianchi Bento, made some changes to try and turn things around, bringing in Olivier Osomba, Yunus Ssentamu, and Israel Desire Tety. However, these changes were not enough to save the ailing situation, and the hosts scored twice more to make it a final score of 5-0.
The game was a warm welcome of fire for Vipers SC in their first ever CAF Champions League group stage game and also the first continental test for their coach. However, the team will have to put aside this loss and focus on their next match against Tanzanian side Simba Sports Club, which will be played in seven days at the St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende.
In conclusion, the Vipers will have to take this loss as a learning experience and use it to improve their game. The CAF Champions League is a tough competition, and it takes more than just skill to make it to the top. The Vipers will have to work together as a team, stay focused, and never give up if they hope to make it to the next round.
