By 
Vipers SC were not able to make the CAF Champions league group stages despite their 2-1 win over Jwaneng Galaxy in the return leg of the first Preliminary round at St.Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Saturday.
Lots of tears rolled down the young player’s face after game in disbelief after the disappointing result.
Coming into the game, Galaxy who won the first led 2-0 in Botswana, only needed a draw unlike the Venoms who had to net three(3) without reply.
With everything going as planned in the opening half, a dominant Vipers won all the duels and went into halftime with a comfortable 2-0 win.
Both goals were scored by Yunus Ssentamu famously known as the Hitman in the 31st and 45+3 minutes to level the game on aggregate.
In the second half, Jweng Galaxy narrowed the gap as the increased the intesity and also put more bodies in the midfield to increase more physicality.
There were chances for the Venoms but the biggest chunk were put off target apart from one shot from the Substitute Karim Watambala with fifteen minutes to the 90 but was saved by Jwaneng goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko.
With five minutes to go, Gilberto Baruti netted a late free kick goal capitalizing on a foul by Issa Mubiru on the edge of the box after Watambala headed a loose ball home.
The final aggregate score of the game was 2-3 in favor of Botswana’s Jweneng Galaxy and that means they have progressed to the next round.
At the second Preliminary round, Galaxy will face South Africa’s Orlando Pirates for a slot into the group stages.
Vipers focus will now turn all their focus onto the 2023/24 Uganda Premier league season.
