Champions league: Vipers coach vows to overturn two-goal deficit 

Vipers SC new Brazilian coach Leo Neiva has an opportunity to be the first tactician at the club to turn around a 0-2 first leg deficit in a continental tie. Vipers find themselves in such unfamiliar territory, following the defeat suffered at the hands of Botswana side, Jwaneng Galaxy on Sunday, August 20 in the preliminary round of the Caf Champions League.

During the post-match press conference, Neiva told the media in the room that the tie is not over. He assured them that back in Kitende at the St Mary’s stadium, which is this Saturday, August 26 at 7pm, Vipers would turn the tables on Jwaneng Galaxy and knock them out of the competition.

However, coming into the game, Jwaneng Galaxy will be buoyed by the brace scored by Thabang Sesinyi. This has left Vipers on the brink of elimination, and unless the improve significantly the Venoms’ ambition of making it to the lucrative group stages of the competition will be up in smoke.

Going by the first leg performance, Vipers was largely on the back foot, something criticized by Neiva. He said that his charges kept allowing Jwaneng players to come at them, which placed pressure on their goal area. 

Notably, over the last 20 years, no Ugandan team has managed to qualify to the next stage, after they have lost the first leg by a difference of two goals in the Caf Champions League. Only SC Villa, back in 1991, were able to beat Egypt’s Al-Ahly 2-0 in the second leg at Nakivubo, after the lost the first leg by the same scoreline in Cairo two weeks earlier.

Villa were able to eject Al-Ahly in the post-match penalty shoot-out. In recent years, something that Vipers could possibly draw inspiration from, is the fact that KCCA FC lost a first leg tie 2-1 to Mozambique’s Ferroviario du Maputo in 2009. But they reversed that with a 2-0 win at Nakivubo, to win the tie 3-2 on aggregate.

In the 2017/18 Caf Champions League, again, KCCA lost the first leg 2-1 away in Madagascar to CNAPS FC. KCCA won the second leg 1-0 courtesy of a Paul Mucureezi strike at the Omondi stadium. Also, in the 2019/20 season, despite losing the first leg in Namibia 3-2 to African Stars, KCCA won the return leg 2-0, to make it through 4-3 on aggregate. 

The difference, though, from KCCA’s reversals, is the fact that they did not lose the first leg by a two goal margin, but one. In fact, the time KCCA played Congo-Brazzaville side AS Otoho in the 2018/19, after they had dropped to the Caf Confederation Cup, the first leg results proved decisive.

As it was, KCCA lost in Congo 3-0. They could only managed to win 2-0 in the return leg. KCCA rode a lot on the home support to even get the deficit to one goal. It will be important that there is a vibrant atmosphere in Kitende, where the home crowd pushes on Vipers against the Jwaneng side.

Yet, it goes without saying, that much of the vociferous support Vipers normally ride on, is from the St Mary’s SS students. But the students return home for their holidays this Friday, August 25. That means a big part of the stadium is likely to feel like a cemetery- quiet.

But beyond that, Neiva has a task to get his players acquitting themselves better. In the first leg, Vipers looked unprepared. There was no coordination to suggest that this team had a clear pattern of play and a plan. 

That said, the central defence pairing of Livingstone Mulondo and Hilary Mukundane looked a pack of nerves when they had the ball. They struggled to play from the back. Each time, they hoofed the ball forward, and back to the opponent. It is evident that coach Neiva needs more time to learn his players and what they do best.

In addition, with new players in the side, they need to be bedded in. It is not clear whether the time they have been with the team is enough for them to be fully integrated, to have seamless chemistry. It is hard to doubt the quality of players Vipers have recently signed, but it takes time for them to fit in.

Therefore, against a more settled side like Jwaneng looked, Vipers seem up against it. Matters are not helped by the fact that goalkeeper Alfred Mundekereza gifted the Botswana side an easy opener. But if the problems of Vipers are restricted to only Mundekereza’s howler, therein the bigger picture is missed.

The midfield speed, especially with Patrick Mbowa a defender deployed there, affected Vipers’ forward movement. Together with Siraje Ssentamu, Vipers were too square, slow and unimaginative. Attacking midfielder Bright Anukani struggled to dictate play. 

Yet, how could he, when Vipers were largely on the back-foot chasing for possession, and when they had it, could hardly keep it. The lack of game control rendered the forwards, the Brazilian Giancarlo Rodriguez, Yunus Ssentamu and Milton Karisa redundant. That laxity cannot be afforded if Vipers are to proceed to the next round to face either Orlando Pirates or Comoros’ Djabal FC.