MATCH PREVIEW: BUL FC JINJA FC vs FUTURE FC - CAF CONFEDERATIONS CUP
With just hours to the much anticipated match of the two continental football debutants in the CAF Confederations Cup - Bull Fc Jinja of Uganda and Future FC of Uganda, we bring to you the match preview basing on the key facts of the two teams as Bull FC host their visitors Future FC from Egypt in the CAF Confederations Cup (Preliminary round – first leg). Bull FC Jinja of Uganda are playing the match 300KM away from their Home ground at St. Mary's Kitende based stadium due to the certification failure of their home ground in Jinja to host CAF games. Previously Future FC was called Coca-Cola FC before the 2021 change of name upon promotion to Egypt's top tier league - WE EPL.
The first leg of the match shall be played in Uganda on Saturday September 10th 2022 at St. Mary’s stadium - Kickoff: 4:00PM EAT.
Future Football Club is based in the Egyptian capital city of Cairo and plays in the top tier league of Egypt - WE Egyptian Premier League (18 teams) incepted since 1948 - 73 years ago which is ranked ahead of Uganda's premier league incepted since 1968. This ranking is based on the level of competition of the two leagues.
The winner on aggregate over two legs between BUL FC and Future FC will face off with either Baffles Football Club of Benin or Kallon Football Club of Sierra Leone.
Key Facts about the teams
Both teams are debutant in the continental level of football and have never been facing each other not even club friendlies. Its the first time for Bull FC to qualify for the CAF Confederations Cup (Preliminary round – first leg) after finishing 4th on the 2021/2022 Uganda Premier season and won the Uganda Cup Final over Vipers who were champions of the Uganda Premier League 2021/2022 season whereas their counter parts Future FC Finished Fourth at the WE Egyptian Premier League Table. Its should be noted that the Egyptian season didn't end however the Federation had to apply standing measures to determine teams qualifying for the continental games.
Bull FC Team - Uganda Cup Champions
Future’s qualification for this competition was quite different.
The Egypt Football Federation decided to choose their CAF representatives basing on the first half of the season results because the Egyptian premier league would finish by the end of August, one month after the deadline that was set by CAF for each country to submit the names of the competing teams.
Future were fourth by the time the decision was made and that is how they came to be here despite finishing outside the usual qualification places by the end of their domestic league.
Both teams have been associated to companies with Future FC previously been sponsored and owned by Coca Cola and so is Bull FC which is currently under BIDCO Uganda limited in Uganda.
The Future FC club was owned by the Egyptian branch of The Coca-Cola Company since its establishment in 2011 until 2021. Coca-Cola's last season under that name witnessed their promotion to the 2021–22 Egyptian Premier League for the first time in their history, as they finished top of their group in the 2020–21 Egyptian Second Division. On 2 September 2021, Future company for sports investments announced the acquisition of the club for a reported fee of £E80 million (approximately €4 million), and renamed the club to Future FC.
Future FC Earned their first-ever promotion to the top flight in 2021, but took Egypt’s elite football by storm, blowing away Ghazl El-Mahalla by a 5-0 score line to win the 2022 league cup before finishing fifth in the just concluded league.
Squad Analysis
Future FC Celery Photo
Future FC aims to have an attacking squad based on the experience tactician Mathere whose game of football with teams he coached like Tersana (1991–1994), Al-Ansar (1994–1995) and ENPPI (1995–2002 2003–2004). Future FC Coach Ali Maher also played professionally for long time as a forward. This puts him a more attacker in terms of tactics.
According to the official team squad, there boys are in good shape as they camp at Sheraton Hotel - Kampala, they might face the flight fatigue of mild headaches but according to the team, the boys are safe since Egypt to Entebbe flight is such a short flight in terms of flight.
Bull FC Jinja on the other hand a fit squad as per Assistant Coach Kasule Richard's press statement on the squad updates ahead of the10 September 2022 match encounter with Future FC
Assistant Coach Kasule Speaking
Prediction - 0:0 First Half and 0:1 Full time
Based on the two learning angles thew team have to learn from each other, expect a barren (goalless) first half with a lousy start as two teams aim to learn how each of them play. However the first 15 minute is expected to be tense and fierce with each one throwing counter balls to check the 18 yard box.
In the second half of the game, expect a very fierce Bull FC who shall take advantage of their chanting fans to push balls however they will stand a fierce attack from the visitors in the quarter of second half. Bull will age their visitors Future FC in the late hours of second half from last 25 minutes of the game. This is because bull stands a better understanding of the Kitende stadium which is prone to rains and the team has been training on rainy conditions under cold weather. Future FC been comfortable with desert condition will see this visit as a climatic tourism.
However much Future FC seems to be an organized team We predict the final whistle to see a narrow win for the home team - Bull FC Jinja.
Bull FC Captain Speaking After Training
About CAF Confederations Cup
The CAF Confederation Cup, known as the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup is an annual association football club competition established in 2004 from a merger of the CAF Cup and the African Cup Winners’ Cup and organized by CAF.
Renaissance Sportive de Berkane players celebrate the 2021/22 CAF Win
Clubs qualify for the competition based on their performance in their national leagues and cup competitions. It is the second-tier competition of African club football, ranking below the CAF Champions League.
