Vipers SC earned a crucial away victory in Namibia after defeating African Stars 1-0 in the first leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary round clash on Friday evening.
The Ugandan side, competing on foreign soil, made the perfect start by taking the lead early in the match. Defender Hilary Mukundane struck in the 13th minute, a goal that would ultimately separate the two teams at the final whistle.
His finish, a product of Vipers’ aggressive opening approach, proved decisive in a tightly contested encounter.
The early breakthrough allowed the visitors to settle into their rhythm and manage the game effectively
. Despite African Stars’ attempts to wrestle back control, they struggled to break through a compact and disciplined Vipers defence.
The Ugandan outfit relied on organisation and composure, closing down space and forcing the Namibian hosts to play at a slower tempo than they preferred.
African Stars, backed by their home crowd, tried to respond by pressing higher up the pitch and increasing their attacking intensity.
Yet their efforts were repeatedly thwarted in the final third. Shots from distance and crosses into the box lacked the precision required to trouble the Vipers goalkeeper, who remained largely untested throughout the first half.
After the interval, African Stars returned with renewed determination, pushing forward in search of an equaliser.
The Namibians managed to pin the visitors back at times, but once again Vipers’ defensive structure held firm.
Clear chances remained scarce, with the Ugandan side showing resilience and maturity in maintaining their slender advantage.
Vipers, while not as adventurous going forward after the break, occasionally threatened on the counterattack.
Their pace on the flanks and ability to transition quickly kept African Stars wary, ensuring the hosts could not commit too many men forward without risk.
Although they did not add to their tally, the visitors’ tactical discipline proved enough to secure the win.
For African Stars, frustration mounted as the minutes wore on. Despite enjoying more possession in the latter stages, they lacked creativity in breaking down the opposition.
The absence of cutting-edge play in and around the penalty area left them vulnerable, and the final whistle confirmed a defeat that leaves them with work to do in the return leg.
For Vipers, the outcome is a significant boost to their hopes of advancing further in the competition.
Securing an away victory, particularly without conceding, is a valuable result in African continental football, where travel and challenging conditions often add layers of complexity to fixtures.
The slim advantage gives the Ugandan side confidence as they prepare to host African Stars in the second leg, knowing that they can progress with a controlled performance at home.
While the tie remains finely balanced, the onus will now fall on African Stars to take the initiative in the reverse fixture.
They will need to find greater fluency in attack and take more risks if they are to overturn the deficit and keep their Champions League campaign alive.
For now, however, Vipers SC can take pride in a disciplined and professional performance on the road, one that places them in a favourable position as the battle shifts to Kampala.
