Caf Confederation Cup: KCCA FC to host AS Kigali away from home

Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA FC) have suffered yet another blow as they will not be able to use their home ground, Lugogo Stadium, for their Caf Confederation Cup clash against AS Kigali on January 6.

According to the club’s official website, their home ground is not eligible to host the return leg clash against the Rwandese side and they have now moved the match to St Mary’s Kitende, which is the home of rivals Vipers SC.

“KCCA will host AS Kigali in the second leg of the Confederation Cup, first-round game at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende,” read a statement on the club’s official website.

“After an inspection of stadiums in Uganda, Caf notified KCCA that Omondi Stadium, in Lugogo was not eligible to host this edition’s Caf games.

“Caf accredited St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende and deemed it fit to host Caf games. KCCA then hired St Mary’s Stadium Kitende for the return leg game against AS Kigali that will be played on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at 16:00 EAT.

“Late 2020, KCCA Stadium plans were approved by authorities and the club hopes to start construction of a modern, start of the art stadium early 2021.”

The change of venue is a blow to the Kasasiro Boys, who are heading into the return leg 2-0 down after Caf awarded the first leg to AS Kigali a week ago.

The Kasasiro Boys were already in Rwanda to take on AS in the preliminary round first leg fixture but the game was called off by Caf after the team failed to raise a required quorum of 15 players.

The team’s CEO Anisha Muhoozi later revealed despite travelling with a squad of 15 players as per the Caf regulations, after 12 of their players tested positive for Covid-19 back in Kampala, the team suffered another blow as two of their players also returned positive results while in Kigali on matchday.

It means KCCA had remained with only 13 players, a move which prompted the African body to cancel the match and award it to AS Kigali.

“KCCA was destined to play AS Kigali today [Wednesday] in the preliminary round game, however, the game was cancelled by Caf because KCCA couldn’t raise the required number of players which are 15, we only had 13 players and as per the Caf regulations this could not be enough for us to play against Kigali,” Muhoozi explained to KCCA TV in Kigali.

Before the team left for Kigali, head coach Mike Mutebi, assistant coach Badru Kabuye, goalkeeping coach Moses Oloya and first-team coach Jackson Magera had all tested positive for Covid-19 and were left behind, alongside keeper Charles Lukwago, Denis Iguma, Kezironi Kizito, Brian Aheebwa, Stefano Mazengo, Hassan Matovu, Samson Kigozi, and Hassan Musana.