Kitara Football Club’s debut at the continent came to an end on Friday, following a 3-2 defeat to Libyan side Al Hilal Benghazi in the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup first preliminary round.
The match played at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benghazi, sealed Kitara’s fate with a 6-4 aggregate loss, marking an early exit from their maiden continental campaign.
Heading into the return leg, Kitara faced the daunting task of overturning a 3-2 deficit from the first encounter.
The Ugandan side needed to win by at least two goals to secure their progression to the second preliminary round.
Coach Brian Ssenyondo, who was celebrating his 31st birthday on the day, fielded a tactical lineup with a balance of defence and attack, hoping to pull off a memorable victory.
Kitara’s lineup featured a solid defensive wall, with captain Maxwell Owachigiu, Arthur Kiggundu, and new signing Ronald Otti marshalling the backline.
In attack, Ssenyondo placed his hopes in the prowess of Denis Omedi and Brian Aheebwa, who had scored in the first leg, supported by George Ssenkaaba.
Despite the team’s valiant efforts, it was Al Hilal Benghazi who struck first. Mohamed Bin Salem opened the scoring for the hosts in the 40th minute, heading home a rebound after a cross bounced off the crossbar.
The goal placed added pressure on Kitara, who now needed to score at least thrice to stay in the tie.
Kitara responded with resilience in the second half. In the 57th minute, Ssematimba, who had just come on as a substitute, cleverly lobbed the ball over the Al Hilal goalkeeper to level the score.
The goal brought renewed hope for Kitara, but their aspirations were short-lived.
Al Hilal Benghazi’s Mauritanian forward, Hemeya Tanjy, delivered a knockout blow with two quick goals.
Tanjy restored the Libyan side’s lead just minutes after Kitara’s equaliser, and then extended their advantage in the 75th minute with a close-range header, leaving Kitara with an uphill battle.
Denis Omedi provided a glimmer of hope for Kitara with a late header in the 80th minute, converting a well-placed corner from Living Kabon.
However, with the aggregate score standing at 6-4, Kitara’s efforts to find two more goals fell short.
Al Hilal Benghazi held on for a deserved victory, advancing to the second preliminary round where they will face Egypt’s Al Masry.
Kitara, on the other hand, will now shift their focus to the domestic competitions as they prepare for the upcoming StarTimes Uganda Premier League season, and to defend the Stanbic Uganda Cup.
Despite the early exit, Kitara’s performance in their maiden CAF Confederation Cup appearance was commendable.
The team, which had to play both legs in Benghazi due to the unavailability of stadiums at home, showed great character and determination against a more experienced opponent.
