Kitara Seek Home Advantage as Mogadishu City Clash in CAF Confederation Cup

HOIMA — Kitara FC will look to make the most of familiar surroundings when they face Somalia’s Mogadishu City in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup first preliminary round at Hoima City Stadium on Sunday evening.

The match, scheduled to kick off at 4pm on September 6, 2026, marks another important chapter in Kitara’s growing continental football journey, with the Royals determined to take a positive result into the return leg.

Although Mogadishu City are listed as the home team for the fixture, the match will be played at Kitara’s Hoima City Stadium, giving the Ugandan side a significant advantage as they seek to build momentum in front of their supporters.

The tie offers Kitara another opportunity to demonstrate their progress on the continental stage after their previous experience in African club competition ended at the preliminary stage in 2024.

The Hoima-based side were knocked out at the same stage by Libya’s Al Hilal Benghazi, an experience that left the club disappointed but also provided valuable lessons about the demands of continental football.

Several players who featured during that campaign remain part of the current Kitara squad and will be expected to use their experience to guide the team against Mogadishu City.

George Senkaaba, Frank Tumwesigye, Kabon Living, Benjamin Nyakoojo and captain Jasper Aheebwa are among five players who remain from the squad that faced Al Hilal Benghazi.

Their experience will be complemented by a number of established and new faces, including Patrick Kaddu, Murushid Jjuuko, Martin Kiiza, Isa Lumu, Karim Ndugwa and Jimmy Kalema.

With a mixture of experience, leadership and attacking quality, Kitara will believe they have the squad capable of negotiating the preliminary round and making a stronger impression in this season's CAF Confederation Cup.

Familiar surroundings provide Kitara with a boost

Playing at Hoima City Stadium is expected to provide Kitara with an important psychological advantage, particularly with their supporters expected to turn up in large numbers.

Unlike their previous continental campaign, when the club had to contend with the challenges of playing away from their traditional home, Kitara will this time enjoy the comfort and support of the Hoima faithful.

Head coach George William Lutalo believes the opportunity to stage the continental fixture at home will provide a major boost to his players.

“First of all, we are excited that this time we are hosting our continental matches at home at the Hoima City Stadium. This means our fans will have a great experience, while their presence will also be a huge boost for us,” Lutalo said.

“Additionally, we have confidence in our team, we have prepared well and promise to give our fans a good game.”

For Kitara, the challenge will be to turn that home support into a convincing performance and, more importantly, a favourable first-leg result.

Contrasting starts to the season

Both teams head into Sunday's encounter having already had competitive action this season.

Mogadishu City have played three league matches, recording one victory and suffering two defeats. 

The Somali side began their campaign with an entertaining 4-2 victory over Gantaalaha Afgooye, showing their ability to score goals, but their momentum was halted by successive defeats.

They suffered a 3-1 loss to Gaadiidka FC before narrowly losing 1-0 to Heegan in their most recent outing.

Those results suggest Mogadishu City are capable of posing an attacking threat but have also shown defensive vulnerabilities that Kitara will hope to exploit.

The Ugandan side, meanwhile, began their StarTimes Uganda Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against SC Villa at Wankulukuku Stadium last Saturday.

The result provided Lutalo and his players with a competitive start to the domestic season, and Kitara will now be hoping to carry that resilience into their continental assignment.

A positive result against Mogadishu City would not only strengthen their chances of progressing but could also provide the team with an early-season confidence boost.

Experience and leadership key for the Royals

Captain Jasper Aheebwa will once again be expected to provide leadership for Kitara, particularly in a competition where concentration and game management can determine the outcome of a two-legged tie.

The presence of experienced players such as Patrick Kaddu and Murushid Jjuuko also gives the Royals valuable options in key areas of the pitch.

Kitara will be looking for balance between attacking ambition and defensive discipline, knowing that the first leg could set the tone for the entire tie.

The fact that the return leg will also be played at Hoima City Stadium gives the fixture a unique dimension, but Lutalo's side will still want to secure the strongest possible result in Sunday's opening encounter.

Avoiding defeat will be important, but Kitara will undoubtedly be targeting a victory that would put pressure on Mogadishu City ahead of the decisive second leg.

No injury concerns for Kitara

Lutalo has received a major boost ahead of the game, with Kitara reporting no fresh injury concerns.

The entire squad is fit and available for selection, giving the technical team a full range of options as they prepare for one of the club's biggest fixtures of the season.

Having a fully fit squad could prove crucial as Kitara attempt to manage both their domestic campaign and the demands of continental football.

A place in the next round at stake

The two-legged contest represents the first step in Kitara's quest for a memorable CAF Confederation Cup campaign.

A victory on Sunday would give the Royals valuable momentum before the return fixture at the same venue in a week's time.

The overall winner will advance to the next stage of the competition, where an even tougher continental challenge awaits.

For Kitara, however, the immediate focus is firmly on Mogadishu City.

With home support behind them, a fully fit squad and several players carrying previous continental experience, the Royals have an opportunity to make a strong statement in Hoima.

Sunday's clash is expected to test Kitara's ambition, discipline and ability to handle the pressure of continental football.

But after learning painful lessons from their previous preliminary-round exit, the Hoima-based side will hope that experience can now help them take a decisive step forward.

Match Details

Competition: CAF Confederation Cup

Round: First Preliminary Round, First Leg

Fixture: Mogadishu City vs Kitara FC

Date: Sunday, September 6, 2026

Kick-off: 4pm

Venue: Hoima City Stadium

For Kitara, the mission is clear: use the familiarity of Hoima City Stadium, harness the support of their fans and secure a result that will put them firmly in control of the tie.