“It is recklessness that cost us but we can bounce back and reach the group stage,” – Bossa.
Kitara FC 1-2 Al Ahly FC
Al Ahly FC fought back to secure a 2-1 win in the first leg of the final preliminary round against Kitara FC. Coach Wasswa Bossa blamed the loss on reckless play in the moments leading to the goals, however he still hopes for a bounce back.
Speaking in the post-match press conference after the game played at Hoima City Stadium on Saturday, October 17, Bossa said furiously: “We talked to our players that the team we are playing, their attacks end on the blind side. It is the same goal we conceded and it was avoidable, it was just being reckless.”
“They have defeated us at our home but football is football. We can defeat them at their home and we can still qualify for the group stage,” he added.
After surviving two chances from Omar Elsaei and Yassin Mostafa in the first 12 minutes, Kitara FC regrouped from collapsed play and forced themselves into the lead.
Gadaffi Wahab scored from Isa Lumu’s low cross to send jubilant Kitara FC fans into celebration in the 31st minute, for the Royals to stay in the lead at halftime 1-0.
After the hour mark, Al Ahly FC inserted mind games in the moment of a triple substitution when Mohamed Magdy, Hussein El Shahat and Karim Fouad went off the pitch before bringing on the substitutes.
The situation caused the game to stop for a while to allow Tawfik Mohamed, Ahmed Mostafa Sayed Zizo and Soufiane Benjdida in as replacements for the three players.
Just three minutes from the restart, a moment arrived that ended Kitara FC’s good game management in the 68th minute, with midfielder Omar Elsaei finishing a momentary lapse in Kitara FC’s defence, striking across Kitara goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa to score an equaliser.
The Kitara technical team introduced Emmanuel Wasswa for goal scorer Gadaffi Wahab after conceding the equaliser, with the visitors continuing to have the upper hand. Two more changes were made.
However, Ahmed Mostafa Zizo resisted being forced to carry the ball into the penalty area and Ahabwe Baguma fouled him just on the edge of the box, for Eugene Ndluli to award a penalty in the 80th minute which the winger converted to put the visitors in the lead 2-1.
Forward Isaac Amutuhaire came off for Patrick Kaddu to make less impact. It was Living Kabon who tried to inject new energy but the game proved beyond his level, though he had two good deliveries – a corner kick on the right flank and a free kick on the left.
Both opportunities were narrowly missed with defender Murushid Juuko missing from the corner kick just a meter off the far post, while the free kick was not fruitful due to poor positioning in attack.
Eventually the game ended with Kitara FC losing 2-1 at home ahead of the return leg in Cairo on October 25. The winner on aggregate shall progress to the group stage.