CAF Confederation Cup: Al Ahly ‘not as strong as before’ – Kitara president

Ugandan side Kitara are confident they can avoid defeat against Egyptian giants Ahly in the CAF Confederation Cup, with club president Deo Kasozi suggesting their opponents have declined from last season.

Kitara will host Ahly in the first leg of their second preliminary-round tie on 17 October, before travelling to Egypt for the return fixture.

Kasozi believes playing the opening match at home gives his side an important advantage against one of Africa’s most decorated clubs.

“We have an important match ahead of us because Ahly is a historic team, so it is good for us to face a club of its stature,” Kasozi told a television sports programme.

“Most importantly for us, we will start the tie at home in Uganda.”

The Kitara president said he had been monitoring Ahly’s recent performances and felt the Egyptian club were not operating at the same level as in previous seasons.

“I am trying to follow Ahly’s performances and keep track of their level and results. I believe they are a good team, but they are not as strong as they were in the past,” he added.

Ahly, who have won the CAF Champions League a record 12 times, are competing in the Confederation Cup this season after finishing third in the Egyptian Premier League last term.

Kasozi believes their presence in Africa’s second-tier club competition is an indication that they have fallen short of their usual standards.

“The Confederation Cup is the second-tier competition after the Champions League, so Ahly’s presence in it means they did not perform at the level required to qualify for the Champions League,” he said.

However, Kasozi acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing Kitara and praised Ahly’s financial strength and infrastructure.

“Despite that, Ahly remains a strong team. It is a club with financial stability and good resources and facilities, but none of that means we will lose to them.”

Kitara reached the second preliminary round after comfortably overcoming Somalia’s Mogadishu City on aggregate.

The Ugandan club secured a 2-1 victory in the first leg before completing a 4-1 aggregate win with a 2-0 triumph in Saturday’s return fixture.

The tie against Ahly will therefore represent a significantly tougher test for Kitara, who will be seeking to take advantage of home support before travelling to Egypt for the second leg.