CAF Champions League
Preliminary round
Vipers SC 2-1 Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana)
Jwaneng Galaxy progress 3-2 on aggregate
Uganda’s representatives in this year’s CAF Champions League, Vipers SC, exited the competition despite a 2-1 victory over Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy FC at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende on Saturday night.
The Venoms were headed for a penalty shootout but conceded a late free kick from which the visitors scored to carry the tie 3-2 on aggregate, having won the first leg 2-0 in Gaborone.
It is a disappointing return to the Champions League for the Ugandan champions having reached the group stage for the first time last season. They now exit at the first time of asking in the preliminary stage.
This despite two brilliant scorchers from Vipers striker Yunus Sentamu, whose pitches of goals in the first half had everyone on their feet in Kitende
His first came at the half hour mark, the striker thumping the ball in the top corner off from Bright Anukani’s lay up.
Sentamu’s second, shortly before the break, was another brilliant strike, his left foot doing the damage to the visitors again.
Vipers failed to kill off the game and with about a minute left to play, defender Isa Mubiru fouled just outside the box and Gilberto Baruti punished the Venoms from the resultant free kick to silence the home crowd.
Jwaneng Galaxy progressed to the second round, where they will meet Orlando Pirates, who eliminated Lesotho’s Djabal FC.