CAF Champions LeagueExpress

CAF Champions League: Express defeats Al Merrikh to take first leg advantage

0

Uganda Premier League champions Express FC held on to defeat Sudanese Giants Al Merrikh 2-1 in the CAF Champions League Preliminary round first leg game at the St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende on Friday.

Eric Kambale and Martin Kizza were on target for the Red Eagles to ensure they got off to a flying start.

Express got off to flying start to the games as they were already ahead in the 6th minutes courtesy of Eric Kambale’s strike. The youngster pounced onto Kizza’s header to beat goalkeeper Salman Monged from close range to put his side ahead.

But immediately after scoring , the Red Eagles almost conceded on the other side but Tony Omayarue headed out a decent Elsamaani Saadeldin freekick at the far post.

Express had two brilliant chances to double their lead but they failed on both occasions. Muzamir Mutyaba’s long-range freekick was spilled out for a cornerkick by Salman before Mahad Yaya Kakooza’s effort kissed the crossbar at the half-hour mark.

Seven minutes before halftime, Al Merrikh capitalized on one of their  rare chances to level matters after Bakri Abdi headed in Omayarue corner past Joel Mutakubwa.

The game went into the break with the scores ties at 1-all.

The second half started on a slow pace but picked up momentum as times went by in the closing half.

Express got their second of the game and what proved as winning goal in the 59th minutes when Kizza was brilliantly set up Geoffrey Lwesibawa to calmly slot it past on theon-rushing Salman in the Al Merrikh goal.

Substitute Joseph Akwandwanaho wasted a brilliant chance to double the Red Eagles lead when he was decently found by Kizza but headed well wide.

With this narrow victory, Express will head into the second leg on 18th September with a narrow advantage over the Sudanese side.

The winner between the two will face either Akonangui of Equatorial Guinea or Zambia’s ZANACO in the second qualifying round, next month.

Juuma Balinya: forward terminates his KCCA contract

Previous article

URA add Sam Timbe to their technical team

Next article