Kitara Football Club earned their place in the CAF Confederations Cup by triumphing in the 2023/24 Stanbic Uganda Cup, marking their first-ever entry into this prestigious continental competition.
Winning the Uganda Cup was just the beginning for the Royals. To meet the CAF Confederation Cup’s requirements, Kitara needed to field a women’s football team, a stipulation that also applies to the CAF Champions League. In response, the Royals partnered with the FUFA Women Super League entity, Lady Doves.
In an exclusive interview with NBS Sport, Coach Brian Ssenyondo detailed the club’s ongoing preparations for the CAF Confederation Cup.
“The team is very ready. We have analyzed our performance from last season, identifying what we did right and areas needing improvement. I believe we are ready to compete more fiercely in the upcoming season,” Ssenyondo said.
Regarding new signings, Ssenyondo explained, “We are recruiting new players based on our performance analysis. We need to reinforce certain positions, particularly our defense, which suffered from numerous injuries. That’s why we brought in Ronald Otti from Bul. In the midfield, we needed a replacement for Paul Mucureezi, so we added David. These are our key additions so far.”
He also mentioned plans for further reinforcements.
“We have strengthened our defense due to previous injuries and the loss of Mucureezi. We are also looking to add younger players, aiming to bring in two or three new talents,” he said.
Kitara finished fourth in the 2023/24 StarTimes Uganda Premier League, just three points behind eventual winners SC Villa, having accumulated 54 points from 29 games.
The team is set to travel to Ethiopia for a friendly match. Coach Ssenyondo highlighted the importance of this trip for the club’s readiness and team cohesion ahead of their CAF Confederation Cup debut.
“Playing in Ethiopia will give us valuable experience and a feel of continental competition, even if it’s just a friendly match. It’s crucial preparation for what we might face in the CAF Confederations Cup, and it could be beneficial if we end up drawing a club from Ethiopia in the tournament,” he explained.
