CAF CL: Uganda’s Vipers SC on cloud nine

Robertinho thrilled with win over TP Mazembe

⚽ TP Mazembe  🇨🇩 0 (2) Vipers SC  🇺🇬 0 (4)

Lubumbashi, DRC | VIPERS SC WEBSITE  | Ugandan giants Vipers SC sensationally dumped five-time CAF Champions League winners, TP Mazembe to make a first ever group stages in the competition.

The 4-2 penalty shootout victory on Saturday at the Stade TP Mazembe, drew deserved excitement and praises to the team from the football faithful.

Only three teams have gone this far in African competition. First was Simba SC who reached the Africa Club Championship final, KCCA Fc recently under coach Mike Mutebi, and the legendary SC Villa in 1991 and 1992, as they thrived on the striking lethalness of Majid Musisi.

After Saturday’s away sucess, head coach Roberto Oliveira alias Robertinho has heaped special applauds to the entire team for sticking to the planned strategy.

“I am very happy about our performance,” stated a rather calm, but joyous Robertinho while addressing Vipers media.

“I am very happy with the performance of the players, because we laid and worked on a strategy during the week, and they followed it well.”

“We reduced spaces on the pitch between three compartments and that was positive because TP Mazembe didn’t have a chance to play on the right or the left side,” added the Brazilian in a tactical breakdown.

Robertinho deployed Murushid Juuko, Livingstone Mulondo, Hillary Mukundane, Isa Mubiru and Ashraf Mandela in a compact backline, and ticked all the right boxes.

“Special praise to my defensive players as they played very well and now, Vipers is at a higher level.”

“Along with my captain, and my coaches, we made important and correct decisions during the week, and I’m very happy,” added the 62-year old.

Vipers now wait for group stage opponents at a yet to be confirmed date, as focus shifts to the Uganda Premier League.

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THE FULL STORY

It was a show of character and guile as Vipers stormed their first-ever Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League group stages, after ejecting decorated TP Mazembe, thanks to a spirited 4-2 penalty shootout win on Saturday, October 15th.

After playing out to another goalless draw in the second leg, post-match penalties were next on the menu – a battle the Venoms clinically won.

The spot-kick heroes were attacking midfielder Bright Anukani, left-back Disan Galiwango, defender Ashraf Mandela and midfielder Olivier Osomba – hitting the back of the net as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) giants scored only twice to allow Vipers script their history at the multi-purpose Stade TP Mazembe.

Earlier in the match, it was the hosts that dictated the pace of the match in-front of a vociferous home crowd in the first half. TP Mazembe probed and surged forward one too many a time with some threats in-front of the visitors’ goalmouth without really being incisiveness.

VIDEO first leg at St Mary’s Kitende

Chance-laden encounter

But it was the Venoms that created the first scare, in the 17th minute as Milton Karisa missed a tap-in following great vision by Yunus Sentamu who set him up with superb precision.

The Ugandan champions second chance nearly came towards the breather with ‘electric man’ Abdu Lumala put power behind the ball while just outside the six-yard zone but only unlucky to watch his stinging shot ricochet off the woodwork.

In the 60th minute, centre-back Livingstone Mulondo’s header agonizingly flew wide off Galiwango’s inch-perfect corner-kick.

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭!!! 👏

Goalie Alfred Mudekereza was impregnable between the posts, once again!#VenomsUpdates | #OneTeamOneDream pic.twitter.com/ICOMetXgxo

— 𝐕𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 (@VipersSC) October 17, 2022

Moments after the hour-mark, substitute Anukani’s thunderous drive was stopped by the immensely talented TP Mazembe goalie Siadi Baggio Ngusia.

Mazembe, too, had an opportunity to break the deadlock in the 74th minute through their dangerous Zambian substitute Rainford Kalaba, but Alfred Mudekereza was up to the challenge with an exquisite save, as both teams saw out the entire 90 minutes with nothing to show on the scoreboard.

How Vipers lined up 

Alfred Mudekereza (GK), Ashraf Mandela, Isa Mubiru, Livingstone Mulondo, Murushid Juuko, Hillary Mukundane, Siraje Sentamu, Olivier Osomba, Abdu Lumala, Milton Karisa (C), Yunus Sentamu.

Substitutes: Fabien Mutombora, Disan Galiwango, Bashir Asiku, Cromwell Rwothomio, Marvin Joseph Youngman, Bright Anukani, Abubakar Lawal

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SOURCE: VIPERS WEBSITE