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| Sports |
| Ugandan team yet to raise funds for Malawi trip |
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by
Garry Chirwa, 01 March 2004
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20:00:06
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With only five days in the countdown to the Caf Champions League first round, first leg showdown against Bakili Bullets scheduled for this Saturday at the giant Chichiri Stadium, top Ugandan side SC Villa said on Monday that it has not yet sourced funds for the trip.
Villa’s organising secretary Kevin Aliro was quoted by the club’s website as saying his club needs 36 million Ugandan Shillings (about US $36,000) for return air tickets and players’ allowances.
Aliro said they had not raised the money but was optimistic they would.
“We are trying to raise it, we hope as usual our officials and supporters will be able to raise that money. We normally start with the big officials until we reach the small ones like myself. If we don’t raise it that way, then we shall organise a local friendly and raise the balance,” Aliro was quoted as saying.
Aliro also told a Ugandan daily The Monitor last week that they had stepped up preparations ahead of the lucrative continental championship game.
“Right now we are having two training sessions daily and we are working on our fitness. We are going to have one friendly against Mumias Sugar of Kenya in Kisumu and that will be about all that we are having in terms of international exposure,” he added.
Aliro said his team would have loved to play quite a number of build-up matches ahead of the clash but unfortunately the club is down on finances.
He said the club had planned six matches in Tanzania but that would be too taxing on the players and it would require a lot of time for the team to stay there.
Aliro added that the team’s scoring worries would also be reduced with the return from injury of Kenyan import Bernard Mwalala.
The record 14-time champions have gotten off to a perfect start this season, five Top Radio League wins on the spin. But they have only managed an average of 1.6 goals per game.
Meanwhile the Bullets who also boast of an enviable local record, went into camp at Mount View Motel in Mulanje on Sunday ahead of Saturday’s clash.
The club’s general secretary Ophman Kondowe said all the 27 players registered for the tournament are in camp and looking forward to the fixture.
“The players are bubbling with confidence and the coaching panel is happy with the response from the players during training.
“We are training at Esparansa ground....there is no disturbance whatsoever and the players’ minds are focused on the game. By Friday we should be well prepared for the game,” said Kondowe.
He also said his club has already paid air fares for the officiating personnel from Lesotho and the match commissioner from Tanzania.
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