Ugandan side the Vipers failed to qualify for the group stage of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League after a 2-0 second leg loss to Algerian side CS Constantine at the St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende on Saturday.

The Algerian Premier League champions pressed ahead into the group stage on a 3-0 aggregate after defeating the Vipers 1-0 at home in the first leg.

After a goalless first half where Vipers’ striker Daniel Sserunkuma missed two chances, the visitors returned looking hungry.

The Vipers’ poor defending gave Ail Djabout room to score the first goal for the Algerian side before Mohamed Walid Bencherifa made it 2-0 after 70 minutes.

Abraham Ndugwa and Kenyan import Noah Wafula also failed to find their form for the Vipers as the CS Constantine defenders kept them under check.

“I am happy that we are through to the group stage. My boys played well and scored two goals,” CS Constantine coach Denis Lavan told Xinhua after the game.

Vipers coach Javier Martinez Espinosa was disappointed after the game.

“We completely failed to play. My players were not very comfortable today,” said the Mexican born coach.

To reach the first round of the CAF Champions League SC Constantine eliminated Gamtel FC of Gambia, while Vipers saw off Sudan’s El Merreikh in the preliminaries.

The CAF Champions League is Africa’s premier club tournament organized by the CAF.