Uganda Premier League defending champions Express FC will be targeting a perfect start to their CAF Champions League campaign when they host Sudanese side, Al-Merrikh on Friday evening at St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende in the preliminary round of the competition.
Express head into this contest full of confidence, having won the  CECAFA Kagame Cup in Dar-el-Salaam less than a month ago.
The Omukwano gw’abangi is making a return to the CAF Champions League for the first time since 1997 a feat that makes it nearly 25 years without competing in the continent’s biggest club competition.
Al-Merrikh meanwhile are the Sudanese Premier League champions for the last three seasons and have so far racked up 16 domestic League titles.
Team News
There are no major injury concerns for the Ugandan side after Godfrey Lwesibawa returned to full training this week ready for selection.
The two sides have met five times in all competitions but have never met before in the CAF Champions League. In those five meetings, Al Merrikh has picked up four wins, Express one while the other ended in a draw.
The last time Al-Merrikh faced a Ugandan side, they were eliminated by Vipers in the Preliminary Round at a 2-2 aggregate score.
This game will be live on Sanyuka TV On StarTimes Uganda starting 4 pm.