Vipers Held 1-1, Set for Crucial Mauritania Test

Vipers SC will head to Mauritania facing a demanding task after being held to a 1-1 draw by FC Nouadhibou in the first leg of their 2026/27 CAF Champions League preliminary round tie at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.

The Venoms made a dream start to the contest and appeared on course to take control of the tie when Hillary Mukundane handed the hosts an early lead just two minutes into the game.

Mukundane rose highest to head home Karim Watambala’s well-delivered free-kick, sending the home supporters into celebration and giving Vipers the perfect start against the Mauritanian side.

However, the visitors quickly recovered from the early setback and gradually settled into the contest.

FC Nouadhibou drew level in the 23rd minute when Sidi Ahmed Mohamed headed in from a corner kick, with the ball coming off the post before crossing the line to silence the Kitende crowd.

The equaliser changed the complexion of the match, as both teams engaged in a fiercely contested battle for control.

Vipers enjoyed spells of possession and pushed forward in search of a second goal, but struggled to create enough clear-cut opportunities against a disciplined Nouadhibou defence.

The hosts continued to pose a threat from set-pieces, with Watambala and Farouk Miya involved in several promising situations. However, Miya was unable to convert a number of free-kicks from dangerous positions, while the Nouadhibou goalkeeper produced important interventions to keep his side level.

Vipers head coach Denis Lavagne made changes as he searched for greater control and attacking penetration.

The introduction of Joel Sserunjogi for Joseph Marvin Youngman helped the Venoms gain more authority in midfield, allowing the hosts to sustain pressure on the visitors during key periods of the second half.

The Venoms thought they had finally found the breakthrough late in the game when substitute Cesar Manzoki found the back of the net after replacing Gusto Mulongo shortly after the hour mark.

However, the celebrations were short-lived after the referee ruled that Manzoki had fouled the FC Nouadhibou goalkeeper in the build-up, leading to the goal being disallowed.

The decision ensured that the match ended level, leaving the tie delicately balanced heading into the return leg in Mauritania.

Despite failing to secure a victory at home, Vipers coach Lavagne remained optimistic about his team's chances of progressing, describing the encounter as only the first half of a two-legged contest.

“We saw a game of big intensity and fight from both teams. We can say it’s the first half of the game and the second is away. It won’t be easy but possible,” Lavagne said after the match.

The draw means Vipers must now produce a strong performance away from home next week if they are to progress to the final qualification round of the CAF Champions League.

With the scores level at 1-1, the Venoms will need to find greater attacking efficiency in Mauritania while remaining disciplined defensively against a Nouadhibou side that demonstrated its ability to compete away from home.

Vipers will nevertheless take encouragement from the periods in which they controlled possession and from the threat they posed through set-pieces.

The Venoms will also be disappointed that they failed to turn their early advantage and home support into a more commanding first-leg result.

For now, however, their Champions League campaign remains very much alive.

The focus will shift to the return leg, where Vipers must overcome the challenge of playing away from home and find a way to secure the result needed to keep their continental ambitions alive.

As Lavagne noted, the task will not be easy, but for the Venoms, progression remains possible as they prepare for what promises to be another intense battle against the Mauritanian champions.