Sudan’s El Meriekh have been crowned Cecafa Kagame Cup 2014 champions after they defeated APR FC 1-0 in the final at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Sunday.
Sunday
Final
APR 0-1 El Merreikh
Third place
Police FC 1-1 KCCA (Pen 4-2)
Sudan’s El Meriekh have been crowned Cecafa Kagame Cup 2014 champions after they defeated APR FC 1-0 in the final at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Sunday.
The lone goal was netted by Kenyan striker Allan Wanga on the 27th minute after a good cross from skipper Ahmed Elbasha. It is a second consecutive year that APR has lost in the Cup final after losing to Vital’O of Burundi last year in Sudan.
It is the third regional title for the Sudanese giants, who last won it in 1988, while the Rwandan army side was looking to win it for the fourth time on home soil, following successes in 2004, 2007 and 2010.
Police Football Club clinched third position in their debut appearance in the annual regional tournament after they defeated Ugandan champions KCCA on spot-kicks 4-2 after both sides drew 1-1 in normal time.
El Meriekh dominated the game in first half which led to skipper Elbasha beating full back Michel Rusheshangoga on the right wing before setting up Wanga, who scored what turned out to be the winner.
Because of the importance of the match, APR technical staff forced centre-back Emery Bayisenge to play the game with a hamstring injury, which kept him out of the previous two matches but he only lasted for 36 minutes before being replaced by Helve Rugwiro.
The army side had opportunities to equalise through Isaie Isonga, Djamar Mwiseneza and Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza but they all failed to beat El Mereikh’s Ugandan goalkeeper Salim Omar Magoola.
In the third place playoff match, Police FC took the lead through striker Jimmy Mbaraga on the 34th minute before Brian Omony equalised for the Ugandan champions on the 49th minute.
Andre Cassa Mbungo’s side won the game in the post match spot-kicks as Jacques Tuyisenge, Eric Ngendahimana, Jean d’Amaour Uwimana and Frederick Ndaka converted their kicks.
KCCA, coached by former player George ‘Best’ Nsimbe, missed two penalties from ex-APR left back Habib Kavuma and Richard Kasaga, while Omony and Tom Masiko scored theirs.
Omony finished as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals. The two-week tournament attracted a record 14 clubs from the 11 Cecafa member countries.
El Mereikh, on top of the trophy, took home a cash prize of $30,000, APR walked away with silver medals and $20,000 for finishing second, while third-placed Police FC took $10,000 in addition to bronze medals.