Stars go on the offensive

AFRICAN Stars will not sit on their narrow advantage when they take on Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) in the return leg of the Caf Champions League in Kampala on Friday.

The Samba Boys accrued a 3-2 lead at home a fortnight ago, and will be guaranteed a place in the next round should they not concede.

But a conservative approach is suicidal, and so is throwing caution to the wind, said head coach Mohammed Gargo.

Controlled pragmatism will be the order of the day inside what is expected to be a hostile Star Times Stadium.

“In Namibia, we won 3-2, so coming here is not going to be a formality. There’s going to be much more intensive tactical play in this return match. We’re not coming here to concede. Football is a game of uncertainty, so you can never tell what is going to happen next,” Gargo said.

“We gave away two goals. We didn’t see KCCA doing a thing of their own and getting those two goals. We are optimistic that we have rectified those mistakes, and we come here not to take chances, rather to score more goals.”

The Ugandan champions are confident of making up the deficit in front of a vociferous home support. But they will have to do so without main goal threat Patrick Kaddu, who signed for Moroccan side Renaissance Sportive Berkane on Wednesday. The striker scored KCCA’s second goal in Windhoek.

“We will attack and attack and attack to score goals, and I don’t care even if the game ends 6-3, as long as we come out the winners,” KCCA FC coach Mike Mutebi told reporters after the team’s training session on Wednesday.

“The bottom line is that we must win the match because our main target is to reach the group stages once again, and we don’t have any option but to score goals, so they [African Stars] should be prepared for an all-out attacking game.”

Like Gargo, his KCCA rival emphasised the need to rid themselves of sloppy defending.

“We conceded silly goals because we were careless at the back. Those were schoolboy blunders which my team should have avoided,” Mutebi said.

“African Stars played well, and they were at home, so I believe we shall be better when they come to Kampala. It was a good game since we were both attacking, and it was good for the fans to watch.”