CAF Confederation Cup
Final qualifying round
Saturday results
KCCA (1) 3-2 (3) Abu Salem
Abu Salem advance to group stages 5-4 on aggregate
KCCA coach Sergio Traguil rued elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup at the hands of Libyan side, Abu Salem, on Saturday but the Portuguese said there were a lot of positives to pick from his young team’s performance.
The home side edged the Libyans 3-2 on the day at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, but bowed out of the continent 5-4 on aggregate following a 3-1 first leg away defeat.
Striker Muhammad Shaban and brace hero and substitute Usama Arafat scored KCCA’s goals at Kitende but Abdulmunem Aiyelan and Mohamed Elghadi twice cancelled out the home’s goals to limit the defeat margin.
“We showed that KCCA is a very good team building something special for this season and we lost out to Salem because they had experienced players,” said Traguil.
“We need to learn to handle the pressure at this level but I can’t blame my players because they are young,” he added.
The 42-year-old coach handed rookies in defender James Mubeezi and goalkeeper Juma Mutebi their debuts and the pair gave a good account of themselves against the North Africans.
Mutebi started ahead of Derrick Ochan in goal after the latter endured a troublesome first leg, while Mubeezi stood between Peter Magambo and Emilson Gonzaga at the heart of the defence.
“All our three goalkeepers (Ochan, Mutebi and Anthony Emojong) are potential number ones and I’m glad that the defence this time looked more compact than the one in Tunisia,” Traguil emphasised.
The KCCA faithful will be pleased by Traguil’s willingness to give everyone of his squad a chance but must be prepared for the ups and downs as the Portuguese builds what he calls “something special.”