Kitara seeks to sink Egyptian giants Al Ahly in Hoima

Kitara FC will seek to pull off a major upset when they host Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup Round of 32 at Hoima City Stadium today.

The match kicks off at 4pm and presents the Hoima-based club with its biggest continental test as it pursues progress in its maiden campaign against one of Africa’s most decorated football teams.

The tie will be decided over two legs, with the return match scheduled for Cairo, Egypt. Al Ahly arrived in Hoima on Wednesday ahead of the encounter, setting the stage for a historic contest for Kitara and its supporters.

Kitara booked their place in the Round of 32 after eliminating Somalia’s Mogadishu City FC 4-1 on aggregate. Both legs were played at Hoima City Stadium, with Jimmy Kalema scoring three goals and Frank “Zagga” Tumwesigye adding another to send the Royals through.

Head coach Wasswa Bbosa said his players were fit and ready for the challenge, with no fresh injury concerns ahead of the match. He said the team had completed its recovery sessions and tactical preparations, focusing on balancing defence, midfield and attack.

Bbosa acknowledged that small moments could determine the outcome against a side of Al Ahly’s quality but expressed confidence that Kitara would create scoring opportunities.

“We want to be organised, compact and mobile, and have numbers when we go forward. We shall have our chances and we are ready for a positive result,” Bbosa said.

Kitara captain Jasper Ahebwa also expressed optimism that the team’s intensive preparations would help them secure a positive result against the Egyptian side.

Club president Deo Kasozi described the fixture as the biggest match in Kitara’s history and called on supporters to turn up in large numbers to motivate the players.

“This is a big game for Kitara FC. We call upon our fans to turn up and cheer the team and boost the morale for the players,” Kasozi said.

For Al Ahly, the trip to Hoima marks a return to competitive action in Uganda after eight years.

The Cairo-based club last played in Uganda in 2018, when they lost 2-0 to KCCA FC at Mandela National Stadium in Namboole.

Al Ahly will seek a positive away result to strengthen their position ahead of the return leg in Cairo, while Kitara will hope to capitalise on home advantage and establish a lead before travelling to Egypt.

The post Kitara seeks to sink Egyptian giants Al Ahly in Hoima appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.