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Fighting Vipers exit
Coach Bianchi issues instructions to forward Yunus Sentamu. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
As the Caf Champions League fades, there will even be questions about whether this team will be able to defend their StarTimes Uganda Premier League title.
It was always going to be hard to Vipers to make a mark on their Caf Champions League group stage debut.
However, their exit is so meek that you can hardly remember anything they have done thus far.
Four games in, the Venoms are yet to score a goal and their latest defeat, a 1-0 hurting loss to Simba on Tuesday at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, emphasized that the cup is half empty and not half full.
They lie bottom of group C with one draw following that defeat that served Simba coach Roberto Oliveira aka Robertinho a sweet double over his former employers.
There is still two matchdays left to endure before the real stock taking can happen.
They can look back to that victory over five-time African champions TP Mazembe in the preliminary round as a key step forward.
As that fades, there will even be questions about whether this team will be able to defend their StarTimes Uganda Premier League title.
Those doubts are hinged on the inability to score in seven games running across all competitions.
There was hardly a chance of that changing at Simba after they fell behind to Clatous Chama's goal in the 46th minute.
The defence was caught napping when defensive midfielder and skipper of the day Siraje Ssentamu casually lost possession to the hosts who initiated a quick counterattack that brewed the goal.
Chama, who slotted the ball between Vipers custodian Alfred Mudekereza's legs twice had the chance to increase his goal tally after but came short.
Like it was in the 1-0 victory at Kitende, Simba Burundian midfielder Saidi Ntibazonkiza was the thorn in Vipers flesh, hitting the bar early on and twice forcing crucial saves from Vipers.
Goal search goes to 630 minutes
For starters, this was a much improved performance from Beto Bianchi's boys but after 630 minutes, the Brazilian-Spanish coach is still yet to taste the sweetness of a goal.
With forwards Ibrahim Orit, Yunus Sentamu and Abdul Lumala looking clueless and bland upfront, Bianchi threw on Abubakar Lawal, Najib Yiga, and Martin Kizza to salvage parity and pride but they too hit a dead end.
Apart from Sentamu's strike that was cancelled out as offside, Lawal came closest to putting the ball past Simba goalkeeper Aishi Manula in the 89th minute but with his back to the goal, the Nigerian squandered it with a loose back heel.
Raja home and dry
The third loss left Vipers bottom of Group C with on point from four matches while the Tanzanians went second with six points. Raja Casablanca of Morocco jumped to 12 points from four matches after crushing Horoya 3-1 in Guinea while the vanquished are third with four points.
Walli Sabbar (brace) and Mohammed Nahiri netted for the Moroccans while Pape Ndiaye got Horoya's consolation goal in a fiery match that had both teams end with ten men each.
On March 18, Vipers will host Raja Casablanca at the St Mary's Stadium-Kitende hanging on to a thread while Simba will treat the home match with Horoya on the same day as a must win.
Caf Champions League - Group C
Results
Simba 1-0 Vipers
Horoya 1-3 Raja
