CAF Confederation Cup: Kitara FC star Jadafi Wahab backs team to overturn Al Ahly deficit in Cairo

Kitara midfielder Jadafi Wahab insists his team can still qualify for the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup despite suffering a 2-1 defeat to Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the first leg of their round of 32 encounter.

The Ugandan side took the lead through Wahab in the first half, raising hopes of securing a positive result at home. However, Al Ahly responded after the break, with Omar Al-Sa’i and Ahmed Sayed Zizo scoring to hand the Egyptian outfit a crucial away victory.

Despite the disappointment, Wahab believes Kitara delivered a performance that exceeded expectations and insists the tie remains open ahead of the return leg in Cairo.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Batolat, the midfielder expressed his disappointment with the result, arguing that his team deserved at least a draw based on their performance.

“No one expected us to perform as we did, except ourselves and the coaching staff. We did our best, and despite that, we did not deserve to lose, and we deserved at least to come out with a draw,” Wahab said.

The Kitara player maintained that his side still have a realistic opportunity to overturn the deficit in Egypt, pointing to the possibility of producing a similar result to the one Al Ahly achieved in Uganda.

“We still have a chance to qualify from Cairo. Just as Al Ahly beat us here, the same thing can happen in Egypt and we can win. Therefore, the competition is still open for both teams,” he added.

Wahab also explained the tactical instructions given by the coaching staff ahead of the first leg, revealing that Kitara were encouraged to remain disciplined defensively and exploit counter-attacking opportunities against their more experienced opponents.

According to the midfielder, the plan was to frustrate Al Ahly by staying compact without the ball before taking advantage of spaces left by the Egyptian side.

“The coach asked us to believe in our abilities, to always stay behind the ball, and then to take advantage of counter-attacks to surprise Al Ahly, but we made some mistakes, which led to us conceding goals,” he explained.

Despite the defeat, scoring against one of Africa’s most decorated clubs proved a memorable moment for Wahab, who spoke about the emotions he experienced after finding the back of the net.

He described the goal as one of the most satisfying moments of his career, acknowledging the stature and history of the Egyptian giants.

“I think my feeling after scoring the goal was the best in my life. We all know the history of Al Ahly, and scoring against a prestigious club of this size gives you a wonderful feeling,” he said.

The midfielder concluded by promising an improved performance when Kitara travel to Egypt for the return encounter, insisting that his teammates remain determined to fight for qualification.

“We promise to deliver a better performance than we did at our home ground, Hoima, during the return leg in Egypt,” Wahab added.

Kitara must now produce a strong performance in Cairo to overturn the one-goal deficit against an Al Ahly side that will be eager to protect its advantage and progress to the next round.

For Wahab and his teammates, the challenge is significant, but the Ugandan side remain convinced that they can cause an upset if they improve on their first-leg display and take their opportunities in the return fixture.