Vipers SC were unable to secure a much-needed victory as they played out a goalless draw against Horoya AC in their CAF Champions League group stage match at the St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Saturday.
The Venoms were looking to bounce back from a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Raja Casablanca in their previous match, but were up against a Horoya AC side who had just secured a 1-0 victory against Tanzania’s Simba SC.
The game started with both teams looking to take control of the match, with Vipers pushing forward through Desire Tety and Milton Karisa. However, they were unable to convert their chances and the match remained goalless.
Good delivery into the area by Isa Mubiru went begging, and both sides continued to search for a moment to make their mark on the game.
Olivier Osomba missed a tap-in at the back post and also saw his effort flash wide but the Venom continued to create chances throughout the game though were unable to find the back of the net.
Horoya AC also had their fair share of opportunities, but were unable to capitalize on them.
The Venoms enjoyed more possession in the midfield, but their breakaways were broken down. Milton Karisa had a golden opportunity to score after Bright Anukani found space in the area, but he was inches late to tap in.
As the first half drew to a close, the game remained goalless, but both sides were committing forward.
The Venoms started the second half brightly, with Yunus Sentamu seeing his delivery blocked on the edge of the area following a nice move.
The game took a dramatic turn in the 78th minute when Vipers defender Isa Mubiru was shown a red card, reducing the Venoms to ten men for the remainder of the match.
Despite the setback, Vipers continued to battle on and created chances, but were unable to find a winner.
As the full-time whistle blew, the game ended in a 0-0 draw, with both sides earning a point each.
The Venoms will be disappointed not to have won, but will take heart from their resilient performance despite being a man down for the last 12 minutes of the game.
The draw means Vipers remain at the bottom of the log with only one point, with their fate in the tournament out of their hands.
They will now have to wait for the results of the Simba versus Raja Casablanca match to see if they have any chance of climbing to third place. Only a loss by Simba would see Vipers move up the table.
Vipers’ attention will now be turned to their next CAF Champions League match, where they will face Horoya AC in a return match on March 31.
They will be hoping to secure their first victory of the tournament and keep their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages alive.
