Vipers’ chances of returning to CAF Champions League groups ended on the first hurdle despite a 2-1 win over Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy in the return leg at St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende.
Yunus Sentamu scored a brace before halftime, and the tie was evenly poised 2-2 at that stage as Jwaneng Galaxy had won the first leg 2-0.
Yunus Sentamu then converted Vipers’ pressure into a goal, opening the scoring in the 30th minute before doubling the lead in the sixth minute of first half added time.
If that dominant first half display was supposed to set the stage for a perfect evening at Kitende, it didn’t trouble the visitors that much in the second half, and they held on to stay in the game until their moment came.
With the clock ticking and the two sides looking like they would be separated from spot kicks, Gilberto Baruti silenced Kitende with a well-taken freekick in the 89th minute to give Vipers too much to do in the remaining minutes.
That away goal meant that Vipers were then looking for two more goals to go through to the next round, but even with eight minutes added after the 90; there was no way back for the hosts who have now been bundled out.
Vipers’ attention will have to be drawn back to the first round clash in Botswana, where they failed to get an away goal and conceded two.
The visitors ensured they stayed in the game at Kitende, and when their opportunity came, they pounced to grab a ticket to the next round.
For Vipers and new head coach Leonard Martins Neiva, the attention will now turn to defending the Uganda Premier League and Stanbic Uganda Cup.
But Vipers put the foot off the pedal in the second half, and their patient build up failed to bore fruits in the second half.
And with the game likely heading to penalties, Jwaneng Galaxy struck through Gilberto Baruti’s freekick in the 90th minute to silence a sizeable crowd under floodlights!
The Venoms lose the match 3-2 on aggregate, a result that ends their journey on the continent.
Jwaneng will now face South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, who defeated Djabal FC 3-0 in the return leg to win the tie 4-0 on aggregate for a place in the group stages.
Saturday Fulltime results
Vipers 2-1 Jwaneng Galaxy FC
(Jwaneng win 3-2 on aggregate)
