Kitara Faces Daunting Task Against Al Hilal Benghazi

Friday, August 16
*Kitara (Uganda) Vs Al Hilal Benghazi (Libya) – 8pm

Kitara FC faces a challenging task as they embark on their debut in the CAF Confederation Cup, taking on Al Hilal Benghazi.

This marks Kitara’s first foray into continental competition, having earned their spot by triumphing in the Uganda Cup, where they defeated NEC in a thrilling final at Wankulukuku Stadium.

However, the journey has been anything but smooth for Kitara. Due to their failure to secure any of the two certified stadiums in Uganda – Namboole and Kitende – the team will play both legs of the tie in Libya, a significant disadvantage for a team that has thrived on home support.

“It’s unfortunate that we can’t host in our home country, but we have to put that aside and focus on the game at hand,” Kitara head coach Brian Ssenyondo remarked.

“We have been used to playing in front of our home crowd, but this should be a learning curve for our players to get used to such conditions. The focus is on getting something from the first leg to give ourselves a fighting chance in the second game.”

Friday’s game is at Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benghazi where Kitara are the host side.

Despite the logistical challenges, Kitara’s preparations have been thorough. The team arrived in Libya on Tuesday, and have played two international friendlies against Ethiopia’s Mechal SC and Kenya’s Tusker FC.

Additionally, Kitara’s recent participation in the FUFA Super 8 saw them eliminate KCCA before falling to BUL in the semifinals.

Defender Benjamin Nyakoojo, one of the few Kitara players with experience at this level, is expected to feature despite suffering a knock in the FUFA Super 8 clash against BUL.

Goalkeeper Chris Kusiima and midfielder David Ndihabwe, both of whom missed the BUL semifinal due to yellow card suspensions, are back in the squad and ready to play.

Their opponents, Al Ahly Hilal, finished fourth in the Championship Round of the Libya Premier League, securing their place in the CAF Confederation Cup.

The Libyan side is bolstered by the presence of Uganda Cranes striker Shaban Muhammad, who recently joined from KCCA FC.

The game is live on NBS Sport for Ugandan audience.