Villa SC faced a disappointing start to their CAF Champions League campaign as they succumbed to a 1-2 defeat against Ethiopia Commercial Bank in the preliminaries. The match, held at the Namboole Stadium, left the home fans disheartened as the Ugandan side struggled to impose themselves against their Ethiopian counterparts.
The game took a decisive turn early on when Ethiopia Commercial Bank seized the lead in the 19th minute.
The goal silenced the home crowd and put Villa SC on the back foot, creating an uphill battle for the Ugandan team.
Despite their efforts to regroup, Villa SC was unable to find their rhythm before the halftime whistle.
The second half offered little improvement for Villa SC as they continued to grapple with their opponents’ well-organized defense.
Desperation to equalize saw the Ugandan side pushing forward aggressively, but this left their defense vulnerable.
Ethiopia Commercial Bank capitalized on this in the 55th minute, doubling their lead and further complicating matters for the home team.
Villa SC’s struggles were evident as the match progressed, but they managed to claw one goal back in the 69th minute.
However, their efforts proved insufficient to overturn the deficit, and the game concluded with a 1-2 scoreline in favor of the visiting Ethiopian team.
For Ethiopia Commercial Bank, this victory marks a significant advantage as they head into the second leg of the preliminaries.
With an away win under their belt, they will return to Addis Ababa with confidence, knowing that a draw in the upcoming match on August 24, 2024, would secure their progression to the next round of the competition.
Villa SC, on the other hand, faces an uphill task as they prepare for the return leg.
The Ugandan side will need to regroup and address the shortcomings exposed in their home fixture if they are to keep their hopes alive in the tournament.
The pressure will be on them to not only overturn the deficit but also to deliver a performance that matches the expectations of their supporters.
The result underscores the challenges that Villa SC must overcome in their CAF Champions League journey.
As they head to Ethiopia, they will need to dig deep and find the resilience required to stage a comeback against a team that has already shown its ability to win on foreign soil.
