Kitara FC suffered a 2-1 defeat to Egyptian giants Al Ahly at Hoima City Stadium, leaving themselves with a daunting task in the return leg of their CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round tie.
The Royals went into halftime with a 1-0 lead but failed to hold on as Al Ahly rallied in the second half to take control of the tie.
Gaddafi Wahab put Kitara ahead in the 30th minute, bundling the ball home from close range after Martin Kizza’s cross.
However, Al Ahly responded in the 67th minute when Omar Elsaei controlled a delivery, beat Jasper Aheebwa and fired home from a tight angle to level matters.
The visitors completed the comeback from the penalty spot after Aheebwa brought down Akram Tawfiq in the area. Ahmed Mustafa Zizo stepped up and converted to give the Egyptian side a 2-1 lead.
Kitara struggled to mount a response thereafter, with Murushid Juuko coming closest to restoring parity when he arrived late at the far post and failed to connect with Kabon Living’s corner.
Al Ahly had threatened earlier in the game, with Yasin Mostafa turning sharply inside the area before shooting wide, while Hussein Aly Elshahat fired over as the visitors searched for the opener.
Despite starting without several regulars, including Mohammed Hany and Emam Ashour, Al Ahly showed their quality when it mattered, capitalising on Kitara’s mistakes to secure the advantage.
For Kitara, sharing the pitch with Al Ahly, one of the most decorated clubs in world football, was a significant milestone. However, the defeat leaves the Ugandan side facing an uphill battle ahead of the return leg in Cairo.
The Royals must now produce a remarkable performance away from home to keep their hopes of reaching the group stages alive.
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