Kitara FC bowed out of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup at the first step after suffering a 3-2 loss to Libya’s Al Hilal Benghazi.The Uganda Cup champions also lost the first leg by the same scoreline,culminating in a 6-4 aggregate loss.
Mohamed Ali Ben Salem put the Libyans ahead on the night five minutes before halftime with a towering header.Then Titus Ssematimba notched an equaliser for Kitara with a 57th minute debut goal.
Parity was extremely shortlived as Hemeya Tanjy struck just two minutes later,and then again in the 75th minute,to put the game,and the tie,to bed.
Denis Omedi remarkably scored a 80th minute header,just like he did in the first leg,to give Kitara a modicum of hope.However,it only compounded groundhog day for the Royals as,again,it proved to be the last goal of the fixture.
Kitara will rue the fact that they were unable to play the first leg of this tie,in which they were the home team,in front their fans.This came about after they were denied use of both Mandela National Stadium Namboole and St.Mary’s Stadium Kitende.Hence both legs taking place at All Hilal Benghazi’s ground,Benina Martyrs Stadium.
But they will also return home full of pride from their first ever taste of continental football,which they handled admirably,especially given the circumstances.They were competitive through out,and the results perhaps don’t reflect the quality of some of their play.
This tie will be viewed as the next step in the progression of a club that was only promoted back into the top flight last season.Kitara also won its first ever major honour,the Stanbic Uganda Cup,this year.
Al Hilal Benghazi’s reward for progressing is a clash with Egypt’s Al Masry,who were one of 12 teams to receive a bye in the first round.
In other results,Burundi’s Rukinzo beat Somalian side Horseed 2-0.Burkinabe outfit Etoile Filante went through on away goals after a scoreless draw with Guinea’s Hafia.
Meanwhile Libya’s other representative Al Ahly Tripoli booked an encounter with Tanzianian powerhouses Simba following a 3-1 success over Zanzibar’s Uhamiaji.
