Vipers coach Martinez bullish ahead of Al Merriekh tie

During their final training session this morning at the St. Mary’s stadium in Kitende ahead of Wednesday’s CAF champions league preliminary round with Al Meirrekh, Vipers SC coach Javier Martinez Espinoza clearly had one thing on his mind, goals.

The entire session was focused on creating goals with the attack minded players like midfielder Moses Waiswa, forwards Abraham Ndugwa, Dan Sserunkuuma and Davis Kasirye among others the busiest.

Martinez is aware that only goals will take him to the next round. Any win minus a goal conceded will send the Venoms to the next round.

“We want to be very aggressive and offensive tomorrow will be different from our first game. We have to win and not concede any goal. We are looking at scoring more goals in tomorrow’s game."

They have good players but we have better players. We want to win tomorrow

We want to give it our all and make it to the CAF champion’s league group stages tomorrow is our day. We are going to go an extra mile “

Vipers ambition of not conceding a goal tomorrow might be dented by the continued absence of their first choice goalkeeper Fabien Mutombora who continues to sit out through injury.

The young Bashir Ssekagya together with his backline will now have the responsibility of ensuring that his side does not let any goal in.

Dan Sserunkuuma who came off the bench to score the vital away goal in Khartoum last week is expected to start tomorrow.

He is the club’s current top scorer this season with five goals in total including four in the Startimes Uganda Premier league.

Asked why he did not start his best striker for the away trip, the Mexican tactician defended his selection.

“Different matches call for different players. Some players are good while playing away and some are good at home so Serukuma will be among the starters.

The winner of the two legged tie will meet either Gambian outfit Gamtel or Algeria’s CS Constatine for another two legged clash before entry into the lucrative group stages of the biggest show piece in African club football.

Vipers are looking to become only the second Ugandan team after KCCA FC (LAST SEASON) to qualify for the paid ranks of the CAF Champions league.